ACTS 5:20 NKJV
“GO, STAND IN THE TEMPLE AND SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE ALL THE WORDS OF THIS LIFE.”
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY FAITH IS NEEDED WHEN IT COMES TO THE GOSPEL? WHY DOES GOD REQUIRE FAITH TO SAVE US? WHAT IS THIS WHOLE FAITH THING ALL ABOUT?
FAITH IS NOT WHAT GOD NEEDS, BUT WHAT WE NEED TO MAKE USE OF WHAT HE HAS OFFERED US. GOD DID NOT MAKE MAN TO BE HIS SERVANT. HE MADE US SO THAT WE COULD BE PARTAKERS OF HIS LIFE.
HE MADE US SO THAT HE COULD SHARE HIS LIFE WITH SOMEONE LIKE HIM. SOMEONE MADE IN HIS IMAGE.
THIS IS AMAZING! IT CHANGES THE WHOLE PLATFORM FROM WHERE WE VIEW THE GOSPEL; BECAUSE--ALTHOUGH IT IS WONDERFUL THAT WE ARE SAVED FROM SIN--WHAT ARE WE SAVED TO? WE ARE SAVED TO THE ORIGINAL PLAN GOD HAD LONG BEFORE THE WORLD WAS MADE--THE PLAN TO HAVE PEOPLE TO SHARE HIS LIFE WITH.
AS I COME TO REALIZE WHAT GOD BELIEVES ABOUT ME, I AM CHANGED IN MY BELIEF ABOUT HIM. WE GRADUALLY OPEN UP TO HIM BY FAITH, SO MUCH SO, THAT EACH GAINS ACCESS TO THE OTHER. WE CAN ACTUALLY SAY THAT WE ARE BORN INTO EACH OTHER.
JOHN 14:20 "AT THAT DAY YE SHALL KNOW THAT I AM IN MY FATHER, AND YE IN ME, AND I IN YOU."
THIS IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD CALLED FAITH. THIS IS WHY IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO BE SAVED WITHOUT FAITH. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE WHO GOD IS, BEING BORN INTO YOU, WITHOUT YOUR PERSUASION OF WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE’S DONE FOR YOU IN JESUS CHRIST.
I FULLY BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT WHEN THE BIBLE SAYS THAT “THE LORD IS ONE” (MARK 12:29). FATHER AND SON HAVE SUCH A POWERFUL INFLUENCE ON EACH OTHER THAT THEY ARE PERFECTLY ONE, AND NO ONE IS LOST IN THE UNION. THIS IS THE VERY DYNAMIC OF FAITH MADE AVAILABLE TO US, SO THAT WE CAN SHARE IN THE SAME QUALITY OF LIFE. IT WAS THE UNDERSTANDING OF THIS THAT CAUSED PAUL TO DECLARE "FOR ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST."
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO BE BORN OF GOD APART FROM FAITH. THE ONLY WAY WE CAN BE BORN OF GOD IS IF WE BELIEVE IN HIM THROUGHJESUS CHRIST. THIS IS NOT A PRE-REQUISITE LIKE OBEYING THE LAW, BUT A CHARACTERISTIC OF OUR DESIGN AS GOD-BEINGS.
WHEN WE SEE GOD FOR WHO HE REALLY IS, PORTRAYED IN THE PERSON AND ACTIONS OF JESUS CHRIST, FAITH WILL RISE IN OUR HEARTS, AND WE CAN WILLINGLY BELIEVE IN HIM. OUR BELIEF IN WHO HE IS GIVES HIM ACCESS TO OUR HEARTS, AND WE ARE BORN FROM HIS SPIRIT.
THIS IS WHAT SCRIPTURE IS SPEAKING OF WHEN WE READ ROMANS 10:17 (KJV) "SO THEN FAITH [COMETH] BY HEARING, AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD."
IN CLOSING, LET ME TAKE A MOMENT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE FAMILY CHURCH CONFERENCE A TOP PRIORITY FOR YOU AS WELL AS YOUR CONGREGATION.
NOVEMBER 13TH & 14TH AT THE AJAX CONVENTION CENTER IS A DON'T MISS EVENT.
JESUS WILL BE REVEALED AS THE PEARSONS PREACH HIM!
PASTOR BILL ANNIS, PRESIDENT, FCF CANADA
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