Now Faith.

July 27,05

Hebrews 11:1-11:23

Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is, the substance of things hoped for, the evedence of things not seen. Introduction; We see many people expecting things to happen tomorrow. I hear it every day when I speek to frends, loved ones and even enemyes. They always say, Well maby tomorrow things will get better, or maby tomorrow or next week, Ill start going to church. And i always add, well what if tomorrow never comes? Where will your soul be for eterniety?

Think about it. I. What does Hebrews say about faith? Now faith is, Lets break it down so we can understand it a little better. What Paul was saying here is the same thing, Jesus told Mary and Martha. John 11:32, Then Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying unto Him, Lord if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. Isnt that the way some christians are, they try to put blame on everything not knowing that whatever happens to us as believers may just be the will of God.

As you see here, Mary had faith for yesterday, she didnt have,Now Faith.She believed if Jesus had been there yesterday, Her brother, would not have died. She had seen many wonders preformed by Jesus and at this time, along with everyone else, that knew Jesus,they were walking by sight, and not by Faith.We see this alot in scripture and in our daily lives. Christians are sitting back waiteing for the Rapture and doing nothing today, to add to their own faith. being sick in body and spirit, not knowing where to turn, not knowing how to survive. Look at John verse 37, And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? Walking by sight and not by faith.

How many wonders does Jesus hafe to do before we believe. The Bible states, that, We can do all things throu Christ Jesus, who strengthens Me. Thats Now Faith,. I can, I Can, I can do all things, not yesterday, not tomorrow, but NOW. We all have been given a measure of Faith by the Holy Spirit, but what about Faith for today? Where does it come from? It comes from the same Spirit.

Now Faith is,What is it? Its a substance, Strongs Dictionary declaires that ,A substance is,
1. a property. 2. A possession. 3. A virtue. 4. a wealth. So if we use this description, Now Faith is a virtue, a desire,a possession ,a substance, we can hold onto.
so it,s the virtue or substance of what? Things hope for . the Bible tells us , if we possess then why do we hope? so can we say anything we hope for is faith?

II. LETS look at verse 39 . Jesus said, take ye away the stone.martha , the sister of him that was dead , saith unto him , Lord , by this time he stinketh. for he has been dead four days." Martha was looking at the present tense. even thou she notted Jesus deity , she as with mary believed in yesterday and tomorow faith. sometimes we as christians also forget whom we serve , we forget that God is the creator of all things , visible and invisible colossians 1:16. Lets go to John 11,23. Jesus said unto her," thy brother shall rise again.: martha said unto him , I know that he shall rise again in the resurection at the last day. Many that Ive spoken to, belive in the resurection at the last day.: but its hard to get them to belive that God is a , now God. hes the God of the past , present and future .

It seem the true test of a christian lies in how much, now faith, they have, how much that they belive that Jesus is able to take of now proublens, how much that they belive , what he said, " I will never leave you nor forsake you , I will be with you always, even untill the end of the world. III. the evidence of things not seen. WHEN you hope ,its things that you , do not possess. the hope that dwells within us is that, the same spirt that raised Jesus from the dead, will also quicken our mortal bodys.

This means to make us alive in Christ. to make us a sacrifice , to be able to say that, Im dead to sin, it no longer controlls my destiny , my life, my very soul, I am who I am , by the grace of God. this is the evidence of things not seen. now faith . verse 25 . Jesus said unto her," I am the resurection , and the life..... Lararus, come forth, " the power in his voice , the majesty in his words. his command to death, had to be obey , there was no other choice. Lazarus had to rise, he had to abey. Jesus was teaching faith. Conclusion,; According to the apostile Paul, Hebrews 6; ,... let us go on to perfection....,let us start useing , NOW FAITH, we have such a short time left, lets use our faith to see our children saved , and the name of Jesus built up to the glory of the Father.