A Dynamic Walk of Faith

“By Faith” – Hebrews 11

• 1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval.

• 4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain…

• 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death…

Noah, Abraham

• 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household…

• 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going…

Isaac, Jacob, Joseph

• 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come…

• 21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshipped…

• 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.

Moses

• 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin…

• 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king…

• 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.

• 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land;

Rahab

• 31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.

In Every Case – Biblical Faith WORKS!

• James 2• 14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith

but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. 18 But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." 19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

James 2

• 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

Works is the Spirit behind Faith!

• Usually think that faith is the spirit behind works, but according to James, this is not the case!

• Your Faith LIVES BECAUSE of your Works! Just as your Body lives BECAUSE of your Spirit!

Faith Hall of Fame – Hebrews 11

• We read about Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab who had a faith in God that pleased God.– READ: Hebrews 11:32-39

Why did God use them instead of me?

• Often, when we look at these great men and women of faith in the Bible, we compare them with ourselves and say, “Why does it seem that God used them but doesn’t seem to be doing anything with me?

• Why does God not seem to be working in my life as in theirs?

Remember

• God IS at work in your life, IF you are a believer in His Son Yeshua (2 Corinthians 5:17):– “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new

creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

We are a WIP

• We are a Work In Progress!

• God is not finished with us yet!

Yet,

• We all should desire for God to do more with us in our lives – like He did the Faith Hall of Famers!

• What made them so able to be used of God time and time again?

Special Qualities?

• We think that perhaps they had special qualities that made them different than us; allowing them to be used mightily of God.

But, They are like us!

• We find the Bible bringing out the fact that they were human, just like us!

• They had weaknesses, just like us!

• They had fears, just like us!

Elijah – Like us! James 5:16-18

“…the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijahu was only a human being like us; yet he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and no rain fell on the Land for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the Land produced its crops.”

1 Kings 18:16-46

• We read of Elijah’s confrontation with the 450 prophets of Ba’al and the 400 prophets of the asherah, the fire from heaven, the return of rain on the land.

• We think of how powerful a man of God this prophet was!

Elijah’s Fear – 1 Kings 19:1-3

• Yet, we need to realize he was human, too.

• After Jezebel heard what Elijah had done, she sent a messenger to him threatening his life - and Scripture says: “On seeing that, he [Elijah] got up and fled for his life.”

• He even prays for his own death and the angels had to minister to him with food and drink.

We Need to Realize…

• Elijah and the other people of God were human, too – just like us!

Moses: “I can’t do it”

• Not a good speaker – Exodus 4:10-11

• He wanted the Lord to send someone else! Verse 13-17

Gideon: “Who me?”

• Judges 6:11-15 – Adonai: “11 Then the angel of the LORD came and

sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press in order to save it from the Midianites. 12 The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, "The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior." 14 Go in this strength of yours and save Israel from the hands of Midyan. Haven’t I sent you?”

– Gideon: “Forgive me, my Lord, but with what am I to save Israel? Why, my family is the poorest in M’nasheh, and I’m the youngest person in my father’s house!”

Gideon Needed Reassurance

• Needed a sign that God spoke to him (verse 17-22)

• Laid out a fleece (verses 36-39) before the Lord to insure that God was with him.

People of God were just like Us!

• They had feelings and emotions. They felt inadequate to the task. They were afraid at times!

• They stumbled and fell at times!

So, What seemingly sets these people off from us?

• What did they DO that made them such powerful vessels for God?

Characteristics of Faith/Walk

• They had these characteristics that allowed God to use them:

1) Humbleness

• Moses humble – Numbers 12:3– (Now the man Moses was very humble, more

than any man who was on the face of the earth.)

2) Servant-hearted

• Moses, the servant of Adonai – Deuteronomy 34:5; Joshua 1:2, 7, 13, 15.

• Joshua, Moses servant – Joshua 1:1; Exodus 33:11

• Samuel, God’s servant – 1 Samuel 3:10

Yeshua: To be Great in God’s Kingdom…

…Be a servant to all – Matthew 20 –25 "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 "It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

3) Hear the Word of the Lord

1 Samuel 3:1-10 1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli. And word from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent. 2 It happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well), 3 and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was, 4 that the LORD called Samuel; and he said, "Here I am." 5 Then he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call, lie down again." So he went and lay down. 6 The LORD called yet again, "Samuel!" So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he answered, "I did not call, my son, lie down again."

"Speak, for Your servant is listening."

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor had the word of the LORD yet been revealed to him. 8 So the LORD called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli discerned that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 And Eli said to Samuel, "Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, `Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 Then the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for Your servant is listening."

Communication with God

• They both listened to and spoke with God!

• Today, that is reflected most in our lives by prayer and reading His Word!

How often do we Communicate with Him?

• Question: How often do we read His Word? How often do we listen to that still, small voice?

• How often do talk with Him?

If we wonder why…

• …we don’t seem to be fellowshipping with Him or that it doesn’t seem as though He is working in our lives, we should ask ourselves how well we are communicating with Him!

Noise in Our Lives

• That’s often the problem with us today. We ALWAYS have some kind of noise in our lives – often blaring in our ears!

Television, Radio, Stereo, Games, etc.

God isn’t always in the noise! Can we hear God above the Ruckus?

1 Kings 19 9 Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 10 He said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." 11 So He said, "Go forth and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

Still, Small Voice - 1 Kings 19 12 After the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 14 Then he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."

If you’re not hearing the Voice of God…

• What’s got your ear???

• What’s filling your head with so much noise that you’re not hearing God’s voice when He speaks to you?

Ears to hear…

• "He who has ears to hear, let him hear.– Matthew 11:15

– “FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM. ‘But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.’” - Matthew 13:15, 16

Physical Ears/Spiritual Ears

• Yeshua is not simply talking about physical hearing here. He is talking about hearing God with your spiritual ears!

• The spiritual ears are controlled by the heart.

• But what you take in through your physical ears affects your heart - what you “hear” with your spiritual ears! What’s got your heart?

If you listen to Garbage…

• If you listen to a lot of today’s music, or watch a lot of what’s on television today; you’re getting nothing but garbage.

• Then you wonder why you think all these negative thoughts? You wonder why you are depressed, frustrated, angry, feeling hopeless?

I had to change the channel on the radio…

• Worked for a telecommunications company – on the road all the time – listened to Country/Western music back then.

• Came home angry, frustrated.

“Dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8

• Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

What do You hear when the Lord speaks to you?

• Thunder or an angel? Or the clear voice of God?

• John 12: 27 "Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, `Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 "Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came out of heaven: "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." 29 So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, "An angel has spoken to Him." 30 Jesus answered and said, "This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes.’

4) Availability- Moses: “Here I am”

– Exodus 3:1-4• 1 Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his

father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 The angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. 3 So Moses said, "I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up." 4 When the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."

Abraham – Genesis 22:1

• Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."

Jacob – Genesis 46:2

• God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, "Jacob, Jacob." And he said, "Here I am."

Samuel - 1 Samuel 31 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli. And word from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent. 2 It happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well), 3 and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was, 4 that the LORD called Samuel; and he said, "Here I am." 5 Then he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call, lie down again." So he went and lay down. 6 The LORD called yet again, "Samuel!" So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me."

Ananias – Acts 9:10

• Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord."

If the Lord were to call us…

• What would we say?

• Would we be available? “Well, Lord, I’m too busy…”

Vessels for His Service!

• God looks for humble, servant-hearted people who hear Him and make themselves available to Him for His use to His glory.

• Whose hearts can be shaped by Him into vessels fit for His service!

God knows what He is doing - Isaiah 45:9

• Woe to {the one} who quarrels with his Maker-- An earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter, 'What are you doing?' Or the thing you are making {say,} 'He has no hands'?

Jeremiah 18:4

• But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make.

• We are ALL broken vessels – the Potter knows how to make us vessels fit for His use!

Let’s Be Those Vessels!

• The choice is ours to make!

Are we willing to be like those great men and women of God who God used in a mighty way?