Faith Works by Love # 1a
Many times we have been believing God for something, but years have passed and we have not seen the manifestation of the miracle or promise.
A) We've been believing God, taking it to the Lord in prayer, confessing the Word of God over our plans, dreams, visions or promise from the Word, yet we still see no fruit, no manifestation.
1) We've even been planting seed for that harvest. And sometimes we've sown much seed and reap very little if anything at all.
a) Sometimes when people fail to receive the harvest they begin to wonder if God's Word really works. And if we're not careful Satan will bring all kinds of discouragement and if possible, cause them to quit.
(i) And of course that the worst thing to do. If you quit Satan got the victory.
2) God wants us to have his very best.
a) When we're sick and we get healed that's great, but why settle for healing from time to time?
(i) Healing is great and I love to see people get healed by the power of God, but divine health is better.
(ii) We need to strive for God's best.
3) Most Christians are living from paycheck to paycheck, and somewhere along the line they need a financial miracle just to get them by.
a) I like financial miracles, but God says that we should have more than enough.
(i) Financial miracles are great, but living in abundance is better.
4) I like what God told the Israelites in (Deuteronomy 8:9). He said, "That not lack anything and there'll be no scarceness."
a) The Amplified translation says, "You'll lack nothing and there shall be no shortage."
b) Well, if God has a way for us to enjoy his best and abundance then why settle for anything less?
B) Now turn with me to Mark 4:3-4. (We've been looking at this are Wednesday nights, but I want look at it in a different light).
1) This man was sowing seed, but the 1st came and consumed it. HIS SEED PRODUCED NO HARVEST.
a) That tells me that it is a possibility that even though your sowing seed into the kingdom of God, some of our seed can be consumed and not produce a harvest.
(i) There are some reasons why and if we have time in today's message will get into it. But let's go on reading.
2) Mark 4:5-6.
a) Notice the seed did what it was supposed to do. Seed doesn't know anything else but to grow, increase and multiply.
(i) But something happened to the seed that it produced no harvest.
b) So far we've seen this man sowing much seed but no harvest.
(i) First the birds consumed it, and 2nd the son scorched it.
(ii) In other words, he sowing, but he's not reaping.
c) There's nothing wrong with the seed. The Amplified translation brings out that each time this man sows seed it is seed of the same kind.
(i) Many times people will say, "If the ground that he was sowing in which was the problem."
(ii) There are times people sow in the wrong ground (in the wrong place), for instance, if your giving to further the kingdom of darkness or giving to evil works.
(iii) But even if your giving a glass of cold water to someone in need, he will get your reward, it will produce a harvest.
d) This man's problem was HOW he was sowing.
3) Many times when we're not getting the kind of return on our sowing that we should be getting, we begin to question the validity of God's Word. "Well, I've tried that it doesn't work."
a) Or we begin to blame someone else for our failures.
(i) That's exactly what Adam did when he failed. He could not except the blame, so he blamed God and Eve.
(ii) He said, "God it's the woman's fault." Then he began to blame God by saying "After all you created her."
b) This is where we began to point to blame everywhere but where the blame should be pointed.
(i) If you asked someone, "How did you get in this condition?" They'll say, "It's my husband's fault."
(ii) If you asked the husband the same question, he'll say, "It's that wife of mind."
(iii) If you asked the children, they'll say, "It's my parents fault."
(iv) If you asked the parents, they'll say, "It's those rebellious kids."
(v) If you asked the church congregation, they'll say, "It's the Pastors fault."
(vi) If you asked the pastor, he'll say, "I asked for sheep do I got his goats, it's their fault."
c) Everybody is pointing the blamed somewhere else.
(i) When was the last time you asked somebody, "How did you get in this mess?" And they said, "ME! It's all my fault!"?
d) We have a hard time accepting the blame, but that's where the blame is.
(i) Quit blaming God, quit blaming his Word, and quit blaming others.
C) Let's go on reading here in Mark 4:7.
1) Now this is the third time this man has sown, yet he's received no results.
a) First the birds consumed it, 2nd the son scorched it, and now the weeds are choking the seeds.
2) Let's go on reading verse 8. Mark 4:8.
a) He was finally getting results.
b) I know that THIRTYFOLD is great, and 60 FOLD is even better, but notice other seed produced a HUNDREDFOLD, or other words maximum results.
(i) Let's strive for maximum results in every seed that we sow.
(ii) It's time to begin to believe God for His best.
II) In the book of Genesis chapter 1 we see some of the 1st gifts that God gave to man.
A) Turn to Genesis 1:26-28.
1) This is the FIRST gift that God gave man and it was DOMINION AND AUTHORITY over all the earth.
2) Does anybody know what the 2nd gift was? It's found in Genesis 1:29. (Read).
a) Some of you might have a cross-reference or a definition in your Bible to the phrase "HERB BEARING SEED."
b) It's actual Hebrew meaning is "SEEDING SEED."
(i) And what is seeding seed?
(ii) If you're familiar with farming, then you'll know that seeding seed is the seed you keep back for replanting. And it's your best seed.
(iii) Why crop comes in, the 1st thing a farmer does is to find the best part. He doesn't consumed it or sell it because it's his seeding seed for the next year's planting.
(iv) That's the reason God wants the tithe of your income off the top, it's your seeding seed.
(a) It's your best seed and the best seed will produce the best harvest.
(b) The leftover seed that a farmer has will degenerate the harvest until it is absolutely useless.
(v) If you spend your tithe and only give God what's leftover, don't blame Him because your not getting maximum results.
3) That let's turn to Genesis 8:22.
a) Is the earth still here? Of course it is. Then this law is still in effect.
b) It's amazing how we adapt to day and night. We just except it.
(i) And we adapt to summer and winter. We know that's coming and we except it.
(ii) But the Bible also says that as long as the earth remains seedtime and harvest shall not cease.
(iii) That seems to be the only law that we ignore and it's the one that this entire planet revolves around.
c) Turn over to Galatians 6:7.
(i) The Phillips translation says, "A man's harvest in life depends entirely upon the seed which he sows."
(ii) The way we live today is a product and result of the seeds we have sown.
(iii) If you don't like the way your life is now, then you need to start replanting.
III) The Bible reveals another law regarding sowing and reaping, and it's found in 2nd Corinthians 9:6.
A) It is not only how you sow in what kind of seed you sow but the quantity of seed that you sow that has a tremendous impact on the size of harvest you will reap.
1) If you sow little, you get little. If you so much, you get much. That's a spiritual law.
2) A farmer knows if ye sows 10 acres that he can expect a 10 acre return. If ye sows one acre that he can expect a one acre return.
a) That's part of the law of seedtime and harvest.
B) But there's another example in the Word of God of a group of people who have been sowing, but have no harvest or very little return.
1) But this verse clearly tells us why.
2) Turn to Haggai 1:5-7. (Verse 6) from the NIV translation says, "You have planted much, but have harvested little."
a) It's very important that you notice that he was sowing much and reaping little.
b) God revealed in verse 5 the answer to why this was happening, "CONSIDER YOUR WAYS."
(i) Then he repeated it in (verse 7), "THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOST CONSIDER YOUR WAYS."
c) The Amplified translation says, "Consider your ways, your previous and present conduct."
(i) If your sowing much and reaping little, then you need to stop and analyze your ways. Don't question the Word and don't question whether God is faithful are not. Put the blame where the blame is due, "CONSIDER YOUR WAYS."
W. O. L. C. C. Sunday, February 21, 1999 from jury Sevilles book entitled, "Are You Tired of Sowing Much and Reaping Little?" From page 17 to page 34.
The word “Availeth” in this V means “Have power or has Power.” So Paul’s saying circumcision doesn’t Have Any Power, uncircumcision doesn’t Have Any Power, But what does Have Power is faith, faith in God, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Faith in the Word of God.
Faith is powerful. Faith sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, touches the intangible, it moves that which is unmovable, and accomplishes the impossible. Unfortunately, some faith is all talk and never really gets down to action. True faith is active, powerfully active.
(Many people are missing it by saying “I’m believing for this and I’m believing for that.”
I. It doesn’t matter if your believing for a personal a need, or for someone else.
A. There’s something missing when you say you are believing for this or that. We need to be believing God for different things.
B. When the faith message was 1st revealed to us from the Word of God, people began to try to believe God for things that are outside the Word. (Something that was not promised by God or not in His Word.)
1. People are doing something similar today, just not as extreme.
a. They say that they are believing God for something but all too often it’s not really in their heart.
2. MARK 11:23
a. Notice the part in this V that says “And shall not doubt in his heart.”
b. Faith does not come from the head it comes from the heart.
c. There are times we are trying to believe God with the head and not the heart.
i. We might hear a sermon that talked about the promise we are in need of.
ii. Or we might have read it in someone’s book.
d. That can causes head faith, but that’s not the kind of faith that works.
3. We have to know God’s Word for ourselves.
C. Many times people have forgotten the meaning of the phrase “I’m believing God for this and that.”
1. We need to get back to Believing God’s Word and His promises to me from His Word.”
a. God’s Word is written to you.
i. You need to go to God’s word and find the promise you need.
ii. Then go over it. (LIKE) God said, by Jesus stripes I am healed. (1PE 2:24) Make the Word personal.
II. The Apostle Paul says, “Faith works by LOVE.” Before I can get into the love part of faith, I want to look at some examples of faith.
A. 1st of all look at HEB 11:1-3, 6
a. In this V he says, “Believe that God is.”
i. But also he says that we need to believe that God is a rewarder to those that diligently seek him.
B. HEB 11:8
1. Abraham heard the Lord tell him to go.
a. Keep your finger in (HEB) and turn with me to GEN 12:1-3
i. Notice (V 3) “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth.”
ii. Those that bless you, God will bless, but those that do harm to you are in danger of God’s judgment.
b. So Abraham left by faith, not seeing the land, not knowing the land.
i. Abraham just went on God’s Word.
ii. That’s what faith is based on. The Word of God.
2. Turn back with me to HEB 11:11
a. The NIV puts it closer to the Greek, “By faith Abraham, even though he was past age, and Sarah herself was barren, was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise.”
i. In this V (Heb 11:11) the name “Abraham” is not found, but in the Greek the subject is referring to a man.
ii. I believe that Sarah also had faith, in (ROM 4:19) it says that Sarah’s womb was dead. She needed faith to be healed.
b. But what I wanted you to see from the NIV is that It was by faith that enabled Abraham to become a father.
i. The NIV says again, “By faith Abraham was enabled to become a father.”
c. What was Abraham’s faith? What did he have faith in?
i. He had faith in God’s Word.
ii. In (V 11) He’s telling us that he believed God to be faithful when He promised.
3. All right, let’s go down to HEB 11:30
a. In (JOSH 6:2) The Lord said to Joshua, “I have given Jericho into your hands.”
b. The Lord said that before the walls ever came down.
i. How did they come down? By Faith in God’s Word.
III. In these examples that I just gave you and there are many more, “The faith had to come 1st before they saw it happen.”
A. We need to do the same thing. Have Faith in God’s Word, then what ever He promised will come to pass.
1. (Mark 11:24) Says, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” KJV
a. He’s saying, “When you pray, believe that you receive 1st then you’ll have it.”
b. Of course, what you’re asking God for and believing Him for must be in line with the Word of God.
IV. Getting back to our main text which said, “Faith which worketh by live.” (GAL 5:6)
A. The only way that our faith is going to work is if we’re walking in love toward our brothers and even our enemies.
1. 1COR 13:1-8; 13
2. Let me read it to you from the AMP translation,
(1COR 13:4-8) “Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy; is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily {Proud, superior, lofty, presumptuous, arrogant, disdainful, insolent, and overbearing}. (5) It is not conceited - arrogant and inflated with pride; it is not rude (unmannerly), and does not act unbecomingly. Love [God’s love in us] does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it - pays no attention to a suffered wrong. (6) It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. (7) Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances and it endures everything [without weakening]. (8) Love never fails. ”
a. Can we be described as this kind of person.
i. If not maybe there are some areas of our life that need some changing.
b. If we want Faith to work in our lives then we must walk in love.
TFC WED PM 4/17/91 and WOLCC SUN AM 7/17/93 and WOLCC Sun AM 9/29/96