Pastor’s Blog 1.16.19

Let me begin this week with a question? Do you believe you have reached your total potential?

I am guessing the answer is no.

I am guessing that like myself, you have a knowing inside that the Lord has more for you to do, more for you to see, others for you to touch, and others who have a touch for you. We need to live in a constant state of expectation, don’t we? That’s what faith is, right?

Hebrews 11:1-7 TPT

Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen. This testimony of faith is what previous generations were commended for. Faith empowers us to see that the universe was created and beautifully coordinated by the power of God’s words! He spoke and the invisible realm gave birth to all that is seen.

Faith moved Abel to choose a more acceptable sacrifice to offer God than his brother Cain, and God declared him righteous because of his offering of faith. By his faith, Abel still speaks instruction to us today, even though he is long dead.

Faith lifted Enoch from this life and he was taken up into heaven! He never had to experience death; he just disappeared from this world because God promoted him. For before he was translated to the heavenly realm his life had become a pleasure to God.

And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who give all their passion and strength into seeking him.

Faith opened Noah’s heart to receive revelation and warnings from God about what was coming, even things that had never been seen. But he stepped out in reverent obedience to God and built an ark that would save him and his family. By his faith the world was condemned, but Noah received God’s gift of righteousness that comes by believing.

I wanted to use a different translation to stimulate our thinking about how we get to there from here. If something isn’t practical, then we are not profited by it are we? Many times you may wonder how do I make faith practical?

1. Faith brings our hopes into reality. Your car takes you to church doesn’t it? It is the vehicle necessary to bring you from one place to another. Likewise, your faith is the vehicle God uses to bring the manifestation from the invisible realm to the visible. So practically, we need to believe and begin to confess that we have what we long for.

2. Faith becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we hope for. If you are going to build a house, the first step before anything else happens is the foundation must be laid. The key to a strong foundation is it can’t be impacted or moved by weather. The key to strong faith is it can’t be moved by circumstances that seem contrary to it. I know how hard that can be. The hardest time to believe you are healed is when you’re sick right? The hardest time to believe you prosperous is when you don’t have enough to do what you need to do right?

3. Faith becomes the evidence required- think about that a moment… We need a way to believe what we cannot see, and faith is that way. I have no problem exercising my faith for salvation (daily) against the fear of death, the grave and hell. I am able to cope with death because I believe Jesus has saved me. What evidence do I have of that right now? Faith in the promise. So,in the same manner, we need to stand on the evidence of faith to deal with all our adversities in life. We give God something to work with when we believe, but there is usually a time lapse between believing and seeing! (Isn’t there??)

4. Faith empowers us to see the unseen. Faith is a real power, I live in it every day and in some areas of life I have a strong faith, and in other areas it seems circumstances have a louder voice. This is where I have to grow and develop.

Let’s continue to press into the promises and take hold of the promised blessings! Will anything be different tomorrow if we don’t do anything different from today?

Pastor Dave