But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. (Hebrews 3:6 KJV)
It's not always the lack of genuineness of a person’s faith that prevent them from receiving from God, but that their believing hasn’t grown to the point of being fully persuaded.
Abraham didn’t receive the promise until his faith came to the point of what the bible called being “fully persuaded” (Romans 4:21).
Faith that is not fully developed will lack the strength to hold fast firm to the end.
8 times we are told in the New Testament that we must “Hold fast” to the promise to the end.
Here is another hold fast verse…
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised (Hebrews 10:22-23 KJV)
Mrs. Nuzum said this… “The devil is busy trying to take from us what we get from God, and so God bids us hold fast.”
Only a strong faith can hold fast to the end, a faith than judges God faithful.
Quote: And the Lord said to Peter Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not:.. (Luke 22:31-32 KJV)
There are many harvesting factors but I believe this is the reason most of God’s people don’t receive their harvests. Their faith fails them.
In other words, they lack the spiritual strength to carry the promise through to a harvest.
Abraham and Sarah are our first and greatest examples of Strong faith:
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. (Hebrews 11:11,12)
To "judge" something is a legal terminology. Other translations say "considered". But to judge something is a much stronger word, it means it is once and for all a settled issue. It cannot be reversed. My faith is rested in that area of my life and I'm not picking it back up.
Sarah didn’t always have this strong attitude of faith. Neither did Abraham. Somewhere along the way though they came to the place where they judged God faithful.
Before then, she never doubted that God COULD do it, she knew that it was a promise from God But there was a lack of confidence that God WOULD do it.
I want you to notice something; Sarah judged God faithful who made the promise before she could have faith for the promise.
In other words, Sarah had to believe that God was faithful to His Word before she could have faith in His Word.
You see many believers are doing this backwards. They are attempting to have faith in the promises without knowing the person who made those promises. Sarah judged God faithful.
When you have faith in a person, faith in their word will come naturally.
The bible says here that, “Sarah received strength to conceive…”.
Having a strong faith, then means to have the spiritual strength to conceive & bring forth God’s promise in your own life.
The same verse, tells us how Sarah received this “strength” or to conceive, “because she judged him faithful who had promised.”
This is the step every believer must eventually take in order to experience God’s best in and for and through their own lives.
What God promises you isn't just for your benefit. There are people that are depending on you to receive what God has for you,.
Faith not to just bless your chickens in the backyard, but faith to change the world!! – Lester Sumrall
Now look at verse 12.
Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. (Hebrews 11:12 KJV)
“Therefore sprang!” This is a harvest term.
And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. (Mark 4:8 KJV)
Your faith needs to come to the place where you can hold fast to the promise long enough for it to spring forth into your life.
Galatians 6:9 (KJV) And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
In Hebrews 11:11 we see where Sarah judged God faithful and in Romans 4:21 we see were Abraham judged God faithful: it says he was “fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
In Matthew 8:26 A great storm arose and Jesus rebuked His disciples “why are you so fearful oh ye of little faith”.
Notice Jesus did not say they had no faith, He said they had little faith.
For some reason, the disciple’s faith had not progressed beyond little.
The only reason Jesus would rebuke someone for having little faith is if He knew they should’ve had more.
The reason why many fail to receive their harvests is because they're strength is small; their faith has never grown to the point of becoming fully persuaded.
Faith is what you believe today. Trust is still believing tomorrow, next month and next year what you believe today.
Trusting God means “I believe the promise just as much now as I did when He first spoke it to me”.
13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong (1 Corinthians 16:13 KJV)
one commentaries definition of quit: To behave oneself with the wisdom and courage of a man, as opposed to a baby or child in Christ.( CWSDict)
People can disappoint you and let you down. But we must come to the point that you say God will never let me down. There were times when it looked like it, but he didn’t.
He will never disappoint me he will never want to separate himself from me.
Hebrews 13:5-6 (KJV) Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
(TPT) “I will never leave you alone, never! And I will not loosen my grip on your life!”
(AMP) Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you norgive you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not,[I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake norlet [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]
Lets look in Genesis 18
After Sarah overheard the angel tell Abraham she would have a baby she laughed in unbelief…
Genes 18:12-14 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
Regarding God’s promise, we should always come back to this question, is anything too hard for the Lord? Before we ever make a judgment, ask ourselves, is there anything too hard for God to do?
17 Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: (Jeremiah 32:17 KJV)
Two questions: what does the word say? And is anything too hard for the Lord?
3 words that best describe when believers have grown to full-grown faith: Or,…
3 byproducts of having judged God faithful, reaching full-grown faith.
1. You find rest when you judge God faithful.
Matthew 11:29 take my yoke upon you and you will find rest for your souls.
2. You find peace when you judge God faithful.
When you find God’s peace inside of you it is not a feeling. I’m not looking for a feeling, but I am now in harmony with what God has declared that he has done for me.
3. You find joy when you judge God faithful.
When you find joy it always comes as a calm delight without the emotions of doubt and fear. It’s when the joy of the Lord becomes your strength.
When those three things are operating in your life you can know that you have reached a level of full-grown faith.
You’re confident that God will withhold no good thing for them that walk uprightly before him.
Judging God Faithful
October 13, 2021
Searching For God
April 14, 2024 • Pastor Brody Christian
JEREMIAH 29:11-14 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, JEREMIAH 29:13-14 msg “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. “Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree. PSALM 9:10 Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 139:17-18 nlt How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! 18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me! GOD IS PURSUING YOU! HE PURSUES US FIRST 1 JOHN 4:19 19 We love because he first loved us. Genesis 3:8-9NLT 8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+3%3a8-9&version=nlt#fen-nlt-64a] and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” HE PURSUES US WHEN WE ARE LOST LUKE 15:4-6 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ Stuff will not make you happy. Stuff will not last forever. MATTHEW 5:6 MSG AND NIV Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 1. PRAY 2. FOCUS YOUR SEARCH ON JESUS 3. READ THE BIBLE 4. REMAIN OPEN 5. ASK QUESTIONS 6. INVESTIGATE 7. TALK TO PEOPLE WHO LOVE AND FOLLOW JESUS 8. JOURNAL 9. SPEND TIME IN NATURE (Romans 1:20MSG. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, Ignoring God Leads to a Downward Spiral ROMANS 1:18-23 But God’s angry displeasure erupts as acts of human mistrust and wrongdoing and lying accumulate, as people try to put a shroud over truth. But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can’t see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn’t treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand. 24-25 So God said, in effect, “If that’s what you want, that’s what you get.” It wasn’t long before they were living in a pigpen, smeared with filth, filthy inside and out. And all this because they traded the true God for a fake god, and worshiped the god they made instead of the God who made them—the God we bless, the God who blesses us. Oh, yes! 26-27 Worse followed. Refusing to know God, they soon didn’t know how to be human either—women didn’t know how to be women, men didn’t know how to be men. Sexually confused, they abused and defiled one another, women with women, men with men—all lust, no love. And then they paid for it, oh, how they paid for it—emptied of God and love, godless and loveless wretches. 28-32 Since they didn’t bother to acknowledge God, God quit bothering them and let them run loose. And then all hell broke loose: rampant evil, grabbing and grasping, vicious backstabbing. They made life hell on earth with their envy, wanton killing, bickering, and cheating. Look at them: mean-spirited, venomous, fork-tongued God-bashers. Bullies, swaggerers, insufferable windbags! They keep inventing new ways of wrecking lives. They ditch their parents when they get in the way. Stupid, slimy, cruel, cold-blooded. And it’s not as if they don’t know better. They know perfectly well they’re spitting in God’s face. And they don’t care—worse, they hand out prizes to those who do the worst things best!
#TRUTHBOMBS
April 10, 2024 • Kevin Simmons
ORIGINS AND BUILDING BLOCKS TRUTH: CREATES….IT IS MY ORIGIN REDEEMS & RE-CREATES THE DOORWAY FEEDS…TRUTH IS MY FOOD & WATER FOR MY SPRIT-PERSON WAGES WAR IN BATTLE DELIVERS GUIDES HEALS JESUS IS THE WORD AND THE WORD IS TRUTH. · John 14:6 I am the Way the Truth and the Life · John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth, your word is truth · Psalm 119:160 The sum of your word is truth and every one of your righteous rules endures forever · 1 Peter 1:23 having been born not of a corruptible seed but of incorruptible, by the seed of the WORD OF GOD that lives and abides forever!! · James 1:18- Of His own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. OUR RE-BIRTH- THE NEW CREATION Born of the Water Born of the Spirit Brought of the Word John 3:5- except a man be born of water of the Spirit he can not enter the kingdom of God. TRUTH REDEEMS In order to corrupt God’s creation Satan had to attack truth. In order to Redeem humanity God had to send Jesus, The Truth to defeat Satan. Jesus (The Truth) is the Door *Psalm 119:130 The entrance of your Word brings light *Magnifying truth takes you into God’s presence “If I can live in constant revelation of TRUTH then I can experience more and more full measures of God.” BELIEF SYSTEMS “The systems of truth that you meditate on have the ability to propel you into the stratosphere where all things are possible OR chain you completely to the prisons of impossibility.” Proverbs 23:7- As a man believes in his heart so he is. MEDITATING ON TRUTH · Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. · Ephesians 6:14 stand, therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth… · Psalm 119:11- I have hidden your Word (Truth) in my heart that I might not sin against you · Isaiah 26:3- You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. · Truth effects your every moment- Good themes….good meditations….Light · Psalm 119:107 I am afflicted very much; Revive me (quicken me), O LORD, according to Your word. · Psalm 51:6- Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Dwell in fullness- A belief system where you’re constantly delivered…where you’re constantly healed…always prosperous, always victorious- be renewed in the spirit of your mind! Activate! Be quickened! Let the glory God has placed in you be manifest! TRUTH DELIVERSNOTES FOR TRUTH MESSAGE ORIGINS AND BUILDING BLOCKS TRUTH: CREATES….IT IS MY ORIGIN REDEEMS & RE-CREATES THE DOORWAY FEEDS…TRUTH IS MY FOOD & WATER FOR MY SPRIT-PERSON WAGES WAR IN BATTLE DELIVERS GUIDES HEALS JESUS IS THE WORD AND THE WORD IS TRUTH. · John 14:6 I am the Way the Truth and the Life · John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth, your word is truth · Psalm 119:160 The sum of your word is truth and every one of your righteous rules endures forever · 1 Peter 1:23 having been born not of a corruptible seed but of incorruptible, by the seed of the WORD OF GOD that lives and abides forever!! · James 1:18- Of His own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. OUR RE-BIRTH- THE NEW CREATION Born of the Water Born of the Spirit Brought of the Word John 3:5- except a man be born of water of the Spirit he can not enter the kingdom of God. TRUTH REDEEMS In order to corrupt God’s creation Satan had to attack truth. In order to Redeem humanity God had to send Jesus, The Truth to defeat Satan. Jesus (The Truth) is the Door *Psalm 119:130 The entrance of your Word brings light *Magnifying truth takes you into God’s presence “If I can live in constant revelation of TRUTH then I can experience more and more full measures of God.” BELIEF SYSTEMS “The systems of truth that you meditate on have the ability to propel you into the stratosphere where all things are possible OR chain you completely to the prisons of impossibility.” Proverbs 23:7- As a man believes in his heart so he is. MEDITATING ON TRUTH · Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. · Ephesians 6:14 stand, therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth… · Psalm 119:11- I have hidden your Word (Truth) in my heart that I might not sin against you · Isaiah 26:3- You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. · Truth effects your every moment- Good themes….good meditations….Light · Psalm 119:107 I am afflicted very much; Revive me (quicken me), O LORD, according to Your word. · Psalm 51:6- Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Dwell in fullness- A belief system where you’re constantly delivered…where you’re constantly healed…always prosperous, always victorious- be renewed in the spirit of your mind! Activate! Be quickened! Let the glory God has placed in you be manifest! TRUTH DELIVERS
Searching For God
April 7, 2024 • Pastor Brody Christian
JEREMIAH 29:13-14 msg “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. “Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+corinthians+2%3a10&version=esv ESV / These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God Luke 6:24-26 But it’s trouble ahead if you think you have it made. What you have is all you’ll ever get. 25 And it’s trouble ahead if you’re satisfied with yourself. Your self will not satisfy you for long. And it’s trouble ahead if you think life’s all fun and games. There’s suffering to be met, and you’re going to meet it. 26 “There’s trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests—look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular. 2 Peter 1:3-4 msg Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust. 1. JESUS IS THE ROAD John 14:1-7 “Don’t let this rattle you. You trust God, don’t you? Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home. If that weren’t so, would I have told you that I’m on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live. And you already know the road I’m taking.” 5 Thomas said, “Master, we have no idea where you’re going. How do you expect us to know the road?” 6-7 Jesus said, “I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You’ve even seen him!” PSALM 103:1-5 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 2. JESUS IS OUR SHEPHERD - Sheep have no sense of direction - Sheep are defenseless - Sheep can’t get up without help - Sheep are emotional and recognize the Shepherd’s voice - Sheep are not meant to carry burdens - Sheep will settle for less - Sheep are valuable - Sheep cannot care for themselves when wounded PSALM 23:1 God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. 3. JESUS IS OUR EVERYTHING John 15:5 NIV “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” 4. JESUS GIVES US REVELATION THE ONLY WAY TO GET REVELATION, IS THROUGH PERSONAL DEVOTION. - WHAT YOU DO IN PRIVATE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN HOW YOU FAKE ACT IN PUBLIC? MATTHEW 11:28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” DISTANCE CREATES DISTORTION…SO YOU BRIDGE THE GAP WITH COMMUNICATION 5. JESUS IS THE ONLY THING THAT WILL SATISFY YOU MATTHEW 5:6… “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat. PROVERBS 27:7 tbt. - when your soul is full, you turn down even the sweetest honey. But when your soul is starving, every bitter thing becomes sweet 6. JESUS IS LOVE The biggest indicator of how much influence Jesus has in your life, is how well you love. 1 Corinthians 13:3-7 So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. 7. JESUS IS THE FIRM FOUNDATION 1 Corinthians 3:9-15 Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you’ll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won’t get by with a thing. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn’t, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won’t be torn out; you’ll survive—but just barely. Luke 6:43-47 You don’t get wormy apples off a healthy tree, nor good apples off a diseased tree. The health of the apple tells the health of the tree. You must begin with your own life-giving lives. It’s who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds. 46-47 “Why are you so polite with me, always saying ‘Yes, sir,’ and ‘That’s right, sir,’ but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on. Vs 48 But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. JEREMIAH 29:13-14 msg “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. “Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree. 2 Chronicles 26:3-5 - 3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem. 4 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20chronicles%2026%3a3-5&version=niv#fen-niv-11738a] of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.