Faith Till The End (part 9)

The foundation for faith must be rooted in good relationships.

9.11.2022

Review

1 John 5:4 (NKJV)

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

Ephesians 6:16 (NKJV)

Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

1 Timothy 6:12 (NKJV)

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

I am covering 8 things you need to know about faith. We have covered the 1^st 6 points.

1. Faith is a gift given to you by Jesus.

2. Faith can be increased by meditation and practice of the word.

3. Faith takes the place of what cannot be seen or felt until it actually appears.

4. Faith is never future. Faith is always in the present tense.

5. Faith cannot be separated from Words. (2 weeks on this!)

6. The foundation for faith is a heart relationship with God.

Today, I continue with the 7^th point:

7. The foundation for faith must be rooted in good relationships.

Mark 11:22-25 (NKJV)

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. 25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.”

 

Faith is a heart thing.

It is easy for routine to take the place of a relationship!

Last week, we covered our heart relationship with God as a fundamental for strong faith.

This week, I want to continue that and add the dimension of how our relationship with others affects our faith in God.

Good relationships must begin with a clear conscience creating a good relationship with God.

Unrepentant sin can hinder faith.

Also, be aware of the issue of unrepentant sin. It can hinder your faith, since it too affects the heart. This is anything that you constantly do that affects your closeness with God. You know it is wrong for you, but you go there and do it anyway.

Leanard Ravenhill:

There are three persons living in each of us: the one we think we are; the one other people think we are, and the one God knows we are.

 

Charles Spurgeon:

Charles Spurgeon said that God never allows His people to sin successfully. Their sin will either destroy them or it will invite the chastening hand of God. If the history of Israel teaches the contemporary church anything it’s the obvious lesson that “righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Prov 14:34, NIV).

(from The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament © 2001-2004 by Warren W. Wiersbe. All rights reserved.)

William Barclay:

An easy-going attitude to sin is always dangerous. It has been said that our one security against sin lies in our being shocked at it.

Barclay, William. The Letters to the Corinthians (The New Daily Study Bible) (p. 52). Westminster John Knox Press. Kindle Edition.

How quickly do you make things right with God when you know you do wrong?

Psalm 66:18 (NLT)

If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. 19 But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer.

Proverbs 1:28-29 (NLT)

When they cry for help, I will not answer. Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me. 29 For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the Lord.

Proverbs 28:9 (NLT)

God detests the prayers of a person who ignores the law.

Isaiah 1:15-16 (NLT)

When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims. 16 Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways.

Isaiah 59:1-4 (NLT)

Listen! The LORD’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is His ear too deaf to hear you call. 2 It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore. 3 Your hands are the hands of murderers, and your fingers are filthy with sin. Your lips are full of lies, and your mouth spews corruption. 4 No one cares about being fair and honest. The people’s lawsuits are based on lies. They conceive evil deeds and then give birth to sin.

1 John 1:5-10 (NKJV)

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

1 John 2:1-2 – NLT

My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the One who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

Psalms 103:12 (NKJV)

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Isaiah 43:25 (NKJV)

I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.

Micah 7:19 (NKJV)

He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

James 4:17 (NLT)

Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Example – Lady called to missions ministry in her teens. Could not receive healing. Her disobedience was keeping her from God’s best.

If you are living in an immoral lifestyle, you are not right with God. You must repent.

If you are regularly lying to others, you are not right with God. You must repent.

If you are a drunk or abuse drugs regularly to overcome life’s pressures, you are not right with God. You must repent.

If you are involved in a homosexual, lesbian, or bi-sexual relationship, you are not right with God. You must repent.

If you view pornography regularly, you are not right with God. You must repent.

If you are married and ignore your family, spending your time away from them, and wasting money that should care for your family, you are not right with God. You must repent.

Husband, if you do not care for your wife, but rather ridicule her, are harsh towards her, if you do not help her with life at home, you are not right with God. You must repent.

Wives, women, if you are dressing in such a way that you know you are making men turn their heads and look at you, you are not right with God, and need to repent.

Women, if you are married, and are acting and speaking in ways that are flirty towards men other than your husband, you are not right with God and need to repent.

God forgives when we repent and turn away from sin.

Since God forgives us, we must forgive others and not hold offense towards anyone for any reason!

Mark 11:25-26 (AMPC)

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings.

Some find it easier to forgive because of the nature of their family. Some are quite challenged in letting things go when offenses occur.

We must CHOOSE to forgive just as God forgives us!

Ephesians 4:32 (AMPC)

And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.

When God forgives us He says:

1) I will not bring the issue up to you again.

2) I will not bring it up to others.

3) I will think of it NO MORE.

When we forgive, we say:

1) I will not bring it up to you again.

2) I will not talk about it to others.

3) Instead of thinking about the offense, I will pray for you.

Colossians 3:13 (NLT)

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

1 Peter 4:8 (AMPC)

Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others].

Proverbs 10:12 (AMPC)

Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers and overwhelms all transgressions [forgiving and overlooking another’s faults].

Matthew 18:21-35 (NLT)

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” 22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

23 Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. 24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. 25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt. 26 But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ 27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt. 28 But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. 29 His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. 30 But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full. 31 When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. 32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

35 That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”

Forgiveness does not always mean the relationship is restored to normal if a person has been irresponsible, unless they too repent and change how they are acting!

Husbands. Love your wives and give them grace!

1 Peter 3:7 (AMPC)

In the same way, you husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way [with great gentleness and tact, and with an intelligent regard for the marriage relationship], as with someone physically weaker, since she is a woman. Show her honor and respect as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered or ineffective.

Let’s keep our hearts soft towards others, and our faith will continue to be a robust, working faith!

Action Points:

1. Sin will hinder my faith life with the Lord. Do I confess my sins immediately, or do I wait a while?
2. Forgiveness is a must if my faith is to work properly. Do I forgive others when their actions offend me in some way?
3. Do I forgive the way God forgives? Once He forgives, He never brings it up to me again, He doesn’t bring it up to others, and He chooses to never think about it again. Do I do that and pray for those who wrong me instead of brooding over their actions?