As the Spirit moved on me to write this message, I could not help but think about how I hope the Lord keeps it short because many have told me, “These messages are just too long,” “It is too much information for me to scroll through on my phone,” and so on. Yet, I could only smile as I thought about just how little control I have over what the Lord wishes to say. I know by faith that whomever this message is intended will have ample time to read it. Therefore, what does it mean to live by faith? Many think that having faith means simply having a belief in God. While others think it is living out a Christian life, but that has been and is defined in countless ways around the world. Still others will come up with their own definition that suits them just fine. However, what did Jesus teach us about having faith? “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20-21). However, how many of us can conceive this notion in our finite minds? The answer is none of us because faith transcends the mind and lives within our souls.
Think about what happened when the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, it initially blew their minds. Peter challenged the Lord to call him out on the water as though it were possible, which started out well, but very quickly ended sadly when Peter began to perceive things from his mind. “Jesus rebuked Peter for lacking the great faith to believe that he would be given power to walk on water. Jesus said to Peter, “Come.” Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:29-31). That could have been any one of us! However, unless we approach our lives in Christ with a childlike trust we are only fooling ourselves when it comes to having true faith. Far too many so-called Christians throw the “faith” word around without any regard to what it truly means. Here is another example given to us by Jesus: “When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was engulfed by the waves; but Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” “You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey Him!” (Matthew 8:23-27). Even having spent so much time with Jesus the disciples proved that trying to understand the things of God with their minds was fruitless.
Therefore, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6). This is a spiritual belief not based on manmade doctrines, traditions, or practices, but instead based on a pure “I know that if I jump off this cliff you will catch me” type faith. We do not see much of that in today’s so-called local churches. In fact, we see just the opposite in most cases. Everything has to be calculated and most “church” behaviors simply emulate what the rest of the world is doing. We who are true Christians, born again and spiritually baptized into the Body of Christ (the true Church) need to be alive in Christ! “Therefore, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form. And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.” (Colossians 2:6-10).
The Father in heaven said of Jesus, “This is My Son, whom I have chosen. Listen to Him!” (Luke 9:35). Therefore, listen to how Jesus tells us we should serve the kingdom of heaven: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to lay claim to his kingship and then return. Beforehand, he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Conduct business with this until I return,’ he said. But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’ When he returned from procuring his kingship, he summoned the servants to whom he had given the money, to find out what each one had earned. The first servant came forward and said, ‘Master, your mina has produced ten more minas.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ The second servant came and said, ‘Master, your mina has made five minas.’ And to this one he said, ‘You shall have authority over five cities.’ Then another servant came and said, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I have laid away in a piece of cloth. For I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man. You withdraw what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.’ His master replied, ‘You wicked servant, I will judge you by your own words. So you knew that I am a harsh man, withdrawing what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not deposit my money in the bank, and upon my return I could have collected it with interest?’ Then he told those standing by, ‘Take the mina from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’ ‘Master,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’ He replied, ‘I tell you that everyone who has will be given more; but the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And these enemies of mine who were unwilling for me to rule over them, bring them here and slay them in front of me.’” (Luke 19:12-27).
Are you living out each day serving the kingdom by faith? Or, are you living out each day to please yourself or others serving the Spirit of this world? The righteous will live by faith, blind faith, each day until the Lord calls us home. Those who foolishly live to satisfy their own lusts and desires in this world, even if they have a sense of godliness about them, will pay the great price of losing their soles for eternity. I pray each of you have or will repent of a life in this world and together we will serve the kingdom together. “For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14); without faith it is impossible to please God!
Think about what happened when the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, it initially blew their minds. Peter challenged the Lord to call him out on the water as though it were possible, which started out well, but very quickly ended sadly when Peter began to perceive things from his mind. “Jesus rebuked Peter for lacking the great faith to believe that he would be given power to walk on water. Jesus said to Peter, “Come.” Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:29-31). That could have been any one of us! However, unless we approach our lives in Christ with a childlike trust we are only fooling ourselves when it comes to having true faith. Far too many so-called Christians throw the “faith” word around without any regard to what it truly means. Here is another example given to us by Jesus: “When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was engulfed by the waves; but Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” “You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey Him!” (Matthew 8:23-27). Even having spent so much time with Jesus the disciples proved that trying to understand the things of God with their minds was fruitless.
Therefore, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6). This is a spiritual belief not based on manmade doctrines, traditions, or practices, but instead based on a pure “I know that if I jump off this cliff you will catch me” type faith. We do not see much of that in today’s so-called local churches. In fact, we see just the opposite in most cases. Everything has to be calculated and most “church” behaviors simply emulate what the rest of the world is doing. We who are true Christians, born again and spiritually baptized into the Body of Christ (the true Church) need to be alive in Christ! “Therefore, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form. And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.” (Colossians 2:6-10).
The Father in heaven said of Jesus, “This is My Son, whom I have chosen. Listen to Him!” (Luke 9:35). Therefore, listen to how Jesus tells us we should serve the kingdom of heaven: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to lay claim to his kingship and then return. Beforehand, he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Conduct business with this until I return,’ he said. But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’ When he returned from procuring his kingship, he summoned the servants to whom he had given the money, to find out what each one had earned. The first servant came forward and said, ‘Master, your mina has produced ten more minas.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ The second servant came and said, ‘Master, your mina has made five minas.’ And to this one he said, ‘You shall have authority over five cities.’ Then another servant came and said, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I have laid away in a piece of cloth. For I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man. You withdraw what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.’ His master replied, ‘You wicked servant, I will judge you by your own words. So you knew that I am a harsh man, withdrawing what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not deposit my money in the bank, and upon my return I could have collected it with interest?’ Then he told those standing by, ‘Take the mina from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’ ‘Master,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’ He replied, ‘I tell you that everyone who has will be given more; but the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And these enemies of mine who were unwilling for me to rule over them, bring them here and slay them in front of me.’” (Luke 19:12-27).
Are you living out each day serving the kingdom by faith? Or, are you living out each day to please yourself or others serving the Spirit of this world? The righteous will live by faith, blind faith, each day until the Lord calls us home. Those who foolishly live to satisfy their own lusts and desires in this world, even if they have a sense of godliness about them, will pay the great price of losing their soles for eternity. I pray each of you have or will repent of a life in this world and together we will serve the kingdom together. “For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14); without faith it is impossible to please God!
