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10 scriptures to feed your faith

1. Isaiah 40: 28 – 31 Do you not know have you not heard? The lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired and weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint

2. Isaiah 41: 10 Fear not for I am with you

3. Isaiah 54: 17 No weapon that is formed against you will prosper

4. Matthew 19:26 With God all things are possible

5. Romans 10: 17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God

6. 2 Corinthians 5: 7 We live by faith not by sight

7. Philippians 4:19 My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by
Christ Jesus.

8. Hebrews 11: 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen

9. 1 John 4:4 Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world

10. 1 John 5:4 Whatever is born of God overcomes the world and this is the victory that
overcomes the world, even our faith

Living in the promises of God

Hebrews 6: 12

We don’t want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who by faith and patience inherit what has been promised

We don’t want you to become lazy

Ever had someone make you a promise & fail to deliver? It can make you a bit casual about promises. It’s easy to become lazy about the promises of God. But God doesn’t want us to be casual when it comes to his promises. God has made you a promise – as a believer you have an inheritance in God. Maybe you haven’t seen the promise of God yet – but don’t become lazy – keep believing. Be diligent in your pursuit of God – and you will walk into his promises!

but to imitate

We are not always good imitators and followers. We would rather follow our own path even though it doesn’t always lead to a good outcome. But instead of doing our own thing we need to follow those who have won the breakthrough. For me it is a no brainer – I try and put myself around people who are in breakthrough. Instead of being jealous of people we should get around them and follow them.

1 Corinthians 11: 1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. He says follow me because it makes people accountable to a leader.

Leaders take us to where we need to be in life. Before you listen to anyone you should look at how they’re life is working out. Some people have great theories but there is no practice – no fruit.

Those who by faith

If anyone had a reason to give up it was Abraham – 99 years old and no son – even though God had promised he would be the father of a nation.

He could have become a cynic, he could have turned his back on God – but he believed

James 2: 23 “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. Abraham believed God, kept believing God and received the promise.

We have an inheritance through Abraham and we tap into it by operating in faith. Faith is this relentless belief that God is faithful and will fulfill his promises. Do you have an expectation of the promise of God in your life? If not – it’s time to develop a fresh expectation. Believe like Abraham believed and God will credit you

and patience

Patience – is one of the fruits of the spirit – but who really values it in our world today?

Patience is one of the keys to inheriting the promises of God. Many have faith – but it is the combining of faith with patience that becomes a mighty force.

Who struggles with patience? I’m trying to learn how to be patient.

We live in an instant generation and we want it now – but we need to learn to wait.

God has made a promise and his promise will not fail – what could fail is your patience.

God’s promises are like the stars; the darker the night the brighter they shine

David Nicholas

inherit

You are the child of the king and that comes with privileges. But an inheritance is useless you are aware of it. Today become aware of what God has promised to you. It’s time to step into your inheritance. I live with a sense of promise – I would never try for such a big future if I did not believe that ultimately God is for me and he wants to bless me. I have an expectation that God will come through – I’ve seen before and I will see it again.

what has been promised

If you are walking in faith & patience – you are inheriting the promise. It is happening now – God is at work on your future – get ready. Become aware – walk in faith & patience and be expectant!

Message version: Don’t drag your feet. Be like those who stay the course with committed faith and then get everything promised to them.

Life to the full

Life to the full

We have been preaching on Jesus all December

John 10: 10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, but I have come that they may have life and life to the full
Jesus came so that that abundant life would flow out of us
Christians should be the most abundant freest people alive
Why is that not always the case?

How do we receive the abundance that Jesus has come to bring?

1. See the world for what it is
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy
I see a world that is being ripped off
Everyday in the NZ Herald we see stories of brokenness – of stolen futures and destroyed lives
If you live the world’s way you will find that the will of the thief will be fulfilled in your life
You will be stolen from – he will bring destruction into your life and ultimately he will bring death without salvation – eternity without Christ
Don’t let the devil steal your future

2. See Jesus for who he is
but I have come that they may have life and life to the full
The celebration of Christmas is that Jesus came into the world – to bring real life – the kingdom life – abundant life!
Today take a fresh look at Jesus Christ

3. Reject the way of the world
Proverbs 14: 12 there is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death
Don’t follow the world’s path that leads to death
Don’t be a Christian that just ends up following the world
Walk away from it –
Reject the world and accept Christ

4. Walk in the freedom that Jesus has won
The abundant life is a free life – It is living in the fullness of Jesus Christ
Free from the burdens of the past, free from fear and doubt and un-forgiveness
Free to be a new creation in Christ
It honors God when we live in freedom
There is no one too far gone – to receive fullness in Christ
It’s time we started living in the fullness that Christ has won for us
Jesus has come to give you life to the full – will you accept it?

One act of faith

One act of faith

How do you step into your God given purpose?

How do you see the promises of God fulfilled in your life?

It only takes one act of faith – to activate your future

Matthew 14: 22 – 28 Peter steps out of the boat and walks on water

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.

Jesus made the disciples go to the other side – even though they were heading right into the storm – storms are part of the ingredients for a great act of faith

If you feel like you are in a storm – maybe God is leading you to toward a fresh step of faith

It’s only faith when the conditions are contrary – don’t wait for the conditions to be right

Peter was in the middle of a storm – and yet he takes this great step of faith

After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Jesus leaves them in the storm – Jesus is not going to turn up every 5 minutes to save the day – He wants his disciples to grow in faith –he wanted them to overcome the storm –Peter did

Don’t be discouraged in your situation – maybe you feel that the wind is against you

You could be just about to walk on water if you would be prepared to step out in faith

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

He left them out all night – he is trying to expand their faith – maybe God is wanting to bring growth in your situation

Peter did what no one else would do – he got out of the boat – he activated his faith – he walked on water

That act of faith – getting out of the boat changed his life forever

What has happened to us as Christians – we have become boat dwellers

Christians have become a bunch of critics sitting comfortably in the boat – telling all those who are trying to walk on water how they should do it

We are called to the water –yet we settle for the boat – & that settling kills the Christian spirit

We started with such a radical tradition of men & women giving their lives for the cause

We need to take that step out of the comfort of the boat and onto the water

For each of us there is a step of faith that God needs from us to activate our future

Great steps of faith

Abraham leaves his home to follow God and becomes a father of nations

Peter and Andrew leave their nets and become apostles for Christ

Yongghi Cho bought a tent in faith and becomes the pastor of the world’s largest church

Phil Pringle moves to Sydney with a dream and becomes the apostle of a movement of 250 churches

What is your act of faith?

A new level of faith

I just got back from Korea where I was attending Ps Yonggi Cho’s Church Growth Conference. It was unreal. I was hanging out with Ps Phil Pringle and Ps Kong Hee and listening to Ps Cho. That’s about as good a week as you can have!

This guy has built the largest church in the history of Christianity by prayer, faith and the Holy Spirit.

He preached a message on faith that took me to another level.

Here are 3 keys of faith from Ps Cho

1. Faith swells in an environment of faith.
It is so important for us to live in the faith zone, to operate in faith and to remain firmly in faith.
I think in the world today – we can have the intention of living by faith but are tempted by and often give in to the doubts, fears and realities that surround us every day.
Our faith gives way to fear.
We need to constantly be putting ourselves in an environment of faith – being in church, getting around great leaders and inspiring people, reading the word of God, spending time in prayer and seeing visions.

2. Faith wants to have a clear goal.
We need to know what we are applying our faith to. Define your goal and bring it before God in persistent prayer.
Keep your goal in mind and see it coming to pass. Pray for it, aim towards it and never let it out of your sight.

3. Language is the clothing for faith.
How cool is that thought!
Faith needs an expression and this happens through your words.
What you speak is what is inside you. So faith expresses itself in your life by your words. So speak words of faith and life and keep speaking them.

Lets be people that build the future by faith!

Eternity

Eternity

Ecclesiastes 3: 11 says
Everything is beautiful in it’s time
Your time is coming – a time for your gift – a time when our life is needed for an eternal purpose
Most of us are living before our time
We are in preparation for our moment of great impact
Many people miss their time – People give up before their time
I want to encourage you – don’t miss your time
Don’t miss the beauty of your life
Offload discouragement and regret – If your in God your best days are ahead
Your time will be beautiful
Don’t sell out for second best

He has also set eternity in the hearts of men
We are created for Eternity – so why do we spend so much time focused on this world?
If you listen to your head – you will live for the here and now
If you listen to your heart you will hear the sound of eternity
Eternity is set in our hearts – it is inside of you
There is a sound of heaven in you
In your heart is an eternal purpose

If you could really see your life with the backdrop of eternity – you would live differently

Don’t be a success in this life and a failure in eternity!

1 Timothy 6:12
says Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Lets live our lives in the context of eternity

Loyalty

Loyalty

MARIO PUZO, the writer of the Godfather series said “The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, is in its loyalty to each other”

Today in the world loyalties shift around depending on how things look for us

Disloyal people are everywhere – people shift loyalties so easily

It might be the world’s way – but it’s not God’s way

The whole story of the gospel is about a God who didn’t give up on us when we were worth giving up on

Ruth is one of the great stories of loyalty in the bible

She commits her future to a widowed old lady

There is nothing for Ruth to gain – yet she is faithful to this old woman

And her faithfulness is greatly rewarded

 A foreign Moabite girl – is included in the genealogy of Jesus Christ because of her loyalty and faithfulness

Loyalty is proved when the pressure comes on

The time will come when loyalty will be tested – stand up in the test – don’t cave in and bail

 Loyalty is about sticking together

Be a loyal friend – speak highly of people

One of the qualities I admire the most is loyalty

I love to hear people defending people behind their backs – speaking highly of one another

There are a hundred reasons to bag each other – but it is beautiful when people defend each other

Proverbs 3: 3 – 4 says Let love and faithfulness never leave you;  bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

 Make a decision – I’m going to be a loyal person