Blogger's note: I picked up a cold in the last couple days, so I missed church in-person, out of respect for the others there. They post their services on YouTube the following day, so I got to watch it in its entirety and a.) felt very blessed by it, and b.) I missed being with everyone there.
Church 5/22/2021
Offering Scripture: Proverbs 11:25
Sermon message: Strong Faith, part 6: Faith pleases God
1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7;
Great faith is always accompanied with great love. Galatians 5:6
Spiritual gifts should be motivated with love. 1 Corinthians 13:1-2
Without love there is no reward at all.
Great faith needs to be motivated by great love. They work together. 1 Corinthians 8:13
Difference between Abel and Cain, Adam, and Eve: Abel acted in faith, even though they all heard God's voice. Abel chose to believe God, no matter what.
When we question God's existence, love, abilities, etc... it makes Him sad. If we don't believe Him we don't receive His protection or His blessings.
Psalm 78:41 "Yea they turned back and tempted God, and LIMITED the Holy One of Israel."
**I can actually speak to this from experience.
Mark 6:5 "And he could do there no mighty work, save that he laid his hands on a few sick folk, and he healed them. He marveled at them because of their unbelief."
Mark 16:15-16. If we don't believe, we don't receive salvation. If we do believe, we receive salvation. Same with blessings.
Book of Hebrews: what faith looks like from other people's
Hebrews 11:5. Enoch pleased God.
Genesis 5:18-23. Only Enoch and Noah are described in the Bible as having walked with God. (In Hebrews Enoch is described as having pleased God.)
What does walking with God look like?
1. Walking with God is walking in faith.
Genesis 5:21-24; Hebrews 11:5
Walking in faith = walking with God = pleasing God
1 Timothy 2:4. God wants us all saved. He wants us to believe Him, because if we believe Him, we will be saved. And He made a way.
John 3:17. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him would be saved."
John 14:6 "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father except through Me."
God wants us to walk with Him while we are on earth, not just to merely escape hell, so that He can bless us and protect us.
Psalm 23 -- describing King David walking with God.
Genesis 5:21-27
Methuselah: "When he dies it will come" (the flood) Methuselah was the oldest man ever lived.
God wants people to come to repentance. That's why He is long-suffering. 2 Peter 3:9
When we walk with God it'll please both Him and us.
2. Faith believes it pays to believe God.
Hebrews 11:6
Malachi 3:8-10 (the way to look at this passage: don't limit God; "it robs Me from being able to bless you")
Pastor Tim says: "Faith is a privilege; faith is not a pain." God says: "faith pays."
Jeremiah 17:7
3. Faith tells others about God.
Faith doesn't hide. People of faith don't hide.
Jude 1:14-15
Luke 11:7