Is Your Faith Genuine?
We have to believe God’s word with all our heart, and then act on what we
believe. Romans chapter 10 tells us how faith comes “the word is near you, even
in your mouth, and in your heart; that is the word of faith, which we preach. That if
you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart
that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart
man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to
salvation. For the scripture says, whosoever believes on Him shall not be
ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek; for the same
Lord over all is rich to all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they
have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not
heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach,
except they be sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach
the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. But they have not all
obeyed the gospel, for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report. So then
faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:8-17).
I Peter 3:15 says “but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and be ready always to
give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with
meekness, and reverence”. God has sanctified us and talks directly to us, as we
go through His word.
The Holy Spirit speaks with us, and we are warned not to harden our hearts
(Hebrews 3:7-4:3) “wherefore as the Holy Spirit says, today if you will hear His
voice. Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in
the wilderness. When your fathers tempted Me, proved Me, and saw My works
forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, they do
always err in their heart, and they have not known My ways. So I swear in My
wrath, they shall not enter into My rest. Take heed, brethren, less there be in any
of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one
another daily, while it is call today; less any of you be hardened through the
deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning
of our confidence steadfast to the end. While it is days, today if you will hear His
voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation. For some, when they had
heard, did provoke however not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with
whom was He grieved forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose
carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom swear He that they should not enter
into His rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in
because of unbelief. Let us therefore be careful, less a promise being left us of
entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For to us was
the gospel preached; as well as to them; but the word preached did not profit
them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed
do enter into rest, as He said. As I have sworn in My wrath, if they shall enter into
My rest; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world”.
The children of Israel faith was not genuine, they refused to hear God for
themselves and told Moses to speak to God and then tell them and they would do
it (Exodus 20:19) “and they said to Moses, speak you with us, and we will hear, but
let not God speak with us, less we die”. And because their faith was not genuine,
they couldn’t hold on to their faith. Even though the Israelites saw God deliver
them from Egypt with a strong arm and even witnessed the parting of the Red
Sea. When they didn’t have water they murmured and wanted to go back to
Egypt; their hearts did not trust God. People who serve God for what they can get
and not because they love Him, will streak back when things get tuff (Hebrews 10:
35-39) “cast not away therefore your confidence which has great recompence of
reward. For you have need of patience, that after you have done the will of God,
you might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and He that shall come will
come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back,
My soul shall have no pleasure in him. but we are not of them who draw back to
perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul”. We have to learn the
voice of God for our self.
Let’s look at the seven sons of Sceva, they tried to cast out a devil in the name of
Jesus which Paul preach (Acts 19:13-16) “then certain of the vagabond Jews,
exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the
Lord Jesus, saying, we adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches. And there were
seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the
evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?
And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and
prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded”.
They were trying to use someone’s else faith. Some people come to Jesus
because of their family member or friend, and if they don’t read their Bible and
develop their own faith, they will fall away when trouble comes. I Peter 5:8 says
“be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks
about seeking whom he may devour”. Your faith will be tested.
The Bible tells us to “study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that
needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).
Some people get their faith from what someone else has said, and not what we
listen for God to tell us. In John 2:23-24 it says “now when He (Jesus) was in
Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day many believed in His name, when they
saw the miracles which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because
He knew all men”. Jesus knew they were impressed outwardly. Their faith was
based on what they saw, however, it was not in their heart. God said, “they love
Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Isaiah 29:13).
The people of Berea on the other hand heard Paul preach and checked out what
they heard (Acts 17:10-12) “and the brethren immediately sent away Paul and
Silas by night to Berea; who coming there went into the synagogue of the Jews.
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word
with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily whether those things
were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were
Greeks, and of men, not a few”.
Many examples of genuine faith, we see in Hebrews chapter 11; Noah – verse 7
says “by faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with
reverence, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he
condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith”.
Noah was told by God to build an ark, and even though it had never rained before,
he believed God and then acted on what he heard.
Abraham – verses 17-19 says “by faith, Abraham, when he was tried, offered up
Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son. Of
whom it was said, that in Isaac shall your seed be called. Accounting that God was
able to raise him up; even from the dead; from where he received him in a figure”.
Abraham’s faith was tested when God told him to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah,
he arose early in the mourning and took his son, because he held on to the word
of God that said “in Isaac, his seed would be.
That is genuine faith when you can hold on to the word that God have spoken to
you, in spite of what it looks like in the natural. Peter got a word from Jesus which
said “come” when he asked Jesus to bid him to come to him on the water, Jesus
said come. Peter did step out of the boat, but his faith was not genuine because
when he saw the wind, he was afraid and began to sink. He did walk on the water,
but lost his focus on what Jesus said.
We have to examine ourselves to see if we be in faith (II Corinthians 13:5)
“examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know
you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be
reprobates”? We have to always remember that He lives in us (II Timothy 1:6-7)
“wherefore I put you in remembrance that you stir up the gift of God, which is in
you by the putting on of my hands. For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but
of power; and of love, and of a sound mind”.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: July 23, 2010
We have to believe God’s word with all our heart, and then act on what we
believe. Romans chapter 10 tells us how faith comes “the word is near you, even
in your mouth, and in your heart; that is the word of faith, which we preach. That if
you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart
that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart
man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to
salvation. For the scripture says, whosoever believes on Him shall not be
ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek; for the same
Lord over all is rich to all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they
have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not
heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach,
except they be sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach
the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. But they have not all
obeyed the gospel, for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report. So then
faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:8-17).
I Peter 3:15 says “but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and be ready always to
give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with
meekness, and reverence”. God has sanctified us and talks directly to us, as we
go through His word.
The Holy Spirit speaks with us, and we are warned not to harden our hearts
(Hebrews 3:7-4:3) “wherefore as the Holy Spirit says, today if you will hear His
voice. Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in
the wilderness. When your fathers tempted Me, proved Me, and saw My works
forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, they do
always err in their heart, and they have not known My ways. So I swear in My
wrath, they shall not enter into My rest. Take heed, brethren, less there be in any
of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one
another daily, while it is call today; less any of you be hardened through the
deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning
of our confidence steadfast to the end. While it is days, today if you will hear His
voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation. For some, when they had
heard, did provoke however not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with
whom was He grieved forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose
carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom swear He that they should not enter
into His rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in
because of unbelief. Let us therefore be careful, less a promise being left us of
entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For to us was
the gospel preached; as well as to them; but the word preached did not profit
them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed
do enter into rest, as He said. As I have sworn in My wrath, if they shall enter into
My rest; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world”.
The children of Israel faith was not genuine, they refused to hear God for
themselves and told Moses to speak to God and then tell them and they would do
it (Exodus 20:19) “and they said to Moses, speak you with us, and we will hear, but
let not God speak with us, less we die”. And because their faith was not genuine,
they couldn’t hold on to their faith. Even though the Israelites saw God deliver
them from Egypt with a strong arm and even witnessed the parting of the Red
Sea. When they didn’t have water they murmured and wanted to go back to
Egypt; their hearts did not trust God. People who serve God for what they can get
and not because they love Him, will streak back when things get tuff (Hebrews 10:
35-39) “cast not away therefore your confidence which has great recompence of
reward. For you have need of patience, that after you have done the will of God,
you might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and He that shall come will
come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back,
My soul shall have no pleasure in him. but we are not of them who draw back to
perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul”. We have to learn the
voice of God for our self.
Let’s look at the seven sons of Sceva, they tried to cast out a devil in the name of
Jesus which Paul preach (Acts 19:13-16) “then certain of the vagabond Jews,
exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the
Lord Jesus, saying, we adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches. And there were
seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the
evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?
And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and
prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded”.
They were trying to use someone’s else faith. Some people come to Jesus
because of their family member or friend, and if they don’t read their Bible and
develop their own faith, they will fall away when trouble comes. I Peter 5:8 says
“be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks
about seeking whom he may devour”. Your faith will be tested.
The Bible tells us to “study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that
needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).
Some people get their faith from what someone else has said, and not what we
listen for God to tell us. In John 2:23-24 it says “now when He (Jesus) was in
Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day many believed in His name, when they
saw the miracles which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because
He knew all men”. Jesus knew they were impressed outwardly. Their faith was
based on what they saw, however, it was not in their heart. God said, “they love
Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Isaiah 29:13).
The people of Berea on the other hand heard Paul preach and checked out what
they heard (Acts 17:10-12) “and the brethren immediately sent away Paul and
Silas by night to Berea; who coming there went into the synagogue of the Jews.
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word
with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily whether those things
were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were
Greeks, and of men, not a few”.
Many examples of genuine faith, we see in Hebrews chapter 11; Noah – verse 7
says “by faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with
reverence, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he
condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith”.
Noah was told by God to build an ark, and even though it had never rained before,
he believed God and then acted on what he heard.
Abraham – verses 17-19 says “by faith, Abraham, when he was tried, offered up
Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son. Of
whom it was said, that in Isaac shall your seed be called. Accounting that God was
able to raise him up; even from the dead; from where he received him in a figure”.
Abraham’s faith was tested when God told him to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah,
he arose early in the mourning and took his son, because he held on to the word
of God that said “in Isaac, his seed would be.
That is genuine faith when you can hold on to the word that God have spoken to
you, in spite of what it looks like in the natural. Peter got a word from Jesus which
said “come” when he asked Jesus to bid him to come to him on the water, Jesus
said come. Peter did step out of the boat, but his faith was not genuine because
when he saw the wind, he was afraid and began to sink. He did walk on the water,
but lost his focus on what Jesus said.
We have to examine ourselves to see if we be in faith (II Corinthians 13:5)
“examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know
you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be
reprobates”? We have to always remember that He lives in us (II Timothy 1:6-7)
“wherefore I put you in remembrance that you stir up the gift of God, which is in
you by the putting on of my hands. For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but
of power; and of love, and of a sound mind”.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: July 23, 2010
