Luke 5:1-11 Follow Me to a Great Catch

The story of Jesus teaching from the boat in Luke 5:1-11 occurs early in his earthly ministry. He preached to the crowd, and then he asked Peter to do something that did not make sense to Peter. He asked Peter to go fishing in the daytime. As someone who had fished in this particular area for most of his life, Peter knew that the best time to catch fish was at night, because during the day the fish went deeper into the water to keep cool and stay out of the light. Peter didn't catch anything the night before. He was hesitant to obey Jesus at first, but eventually he obeyed Jesus' request. The result was a catch so big that he needed help from other fishermen to bring it ashore. 

Obeying orders leads to success. For example, several years ago General Dwight Eisenhower, the man who led the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II, told an interviewer how the decision was made to go on June 6, 1944. He wanted to go on June 4th or June  5th, and June 4th, 1944, was a beautiful, starlight night. The commanders of the Allied troops were gathered with General Eisenhower at their command post in England. The chief army weatherman was there also, and he told General Eisenhower that gale-force winds and high tides would be hitting the Normandy beaches by the next morning.

General Eisenhower had a decision to make. Should he believe what he saw-a beautiful, clear starlight night-or should he listen to the man who knew. His answer was "No go", even though it would have cost him his first choice and prolong the wait for the troops who were waiting on the ships. On the next day-June 5th-the weather was stormy, just like the weatherman had predicted. The weatherman came in and said, "We're going to have improved weather tomorrow with moderate winds and tides. It's going to be a good day to go." General Eisenhower had to decide to go by his senses or by the man who had the authority. The general paused for about 30 seconds, and then he said two of history's most famous words-"Let's go". The room was clear in two seconds, and the rest is history.  

Peter also had a decision to make. Would he obey Jesus' request? Workers like Peter usually hate to obey orders unless they recognize the authority of the person who is giving the order. I know how they feel, because when I worked at Harry Freeman's lumber mill in Greenfield, I had many bosses that I hated to take orders from, but I still obeyed their orders because I respected their authority even if I didn’t respect them as people. Peter respected Jesus and therefore he obeyed Jesus' orders. The result was a huge reward. When Peter saw the catch of fish, he saw a miracle. He knew that he was in the presence of a holy person, and he was ashamed because of his sinful nature. If we obey Jesus, he will clean us, make us whole, and give us the tools we need to do his work in our world. 

God often calls us to do things that are often simple for us to do but important to him. The simplest tasks we do for God can result in a revelation, discovery or even greater faith. Obedience to even the simplest of orders results in great rewards from God. All we have to do is look at the staff here at Queens Manor. They are doing God's work by taking care of your needs, and their reward is the satisfaction they get from a job well done.

Peter obeyed Jesus' order to become a fisher of men. After Jesus ascended to heaven, Peter became the leader of the disciples and the early Christian church. In  fact, the Roman Catholic Church traces its origins to Peter. Peter's small step of obedience led to the miracle that changed his life. God prepared Peter for the call just like he prepares us for our call. He allowed Peter to endure failure by not catching any fish. He also allows us to endure personal failures. For example, some of you might have considered yourselves to be personal failures when you had to come here to Queens Manor because of your age and health problems. I can tell you that you are not a failure. You can still contribute to life in many ways. You can still share your memories with many of your friends and family members. Those of you who can also help out other residents. Take one resident here, for example. She is confined to a wheelchair, but she doesn't let that stop her! She helps other residents follow along during your worship services, and as someone who has known her for many years, I am both amazed and extremely grateful! Ruby is a good example of the work God has called us to do in our lives.

Once we realize who Jesus is, we can see ourselves in a new light, just like Peter saw Jesus in a new light when he realized who Jesus was. Sometimes that sight is too much for us to handle, but we need to see ourselves in that light so we can be changed by God and be prepared by God for the work he wants us to do. God shook up Peter because he wanted to shake up the world. He can also shake all of us up so he can shake up the world-and boy does it ever need to be shaken up. When we obey God, we will become fishers of men, and the catch we will get will be even greater than Peter's great catch of fish.

 

Bibliography

1)      Ron Hutchcraft, "Your Hard Times". Retrieved from www.hutchcraft.com

2)      Exegesis for Luke 5:1-11. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com

3)      Dr. Ray Pritchard, "How God's Will Can Mess Up Your Life in a Good Way". Retrieved from www.keepbelieving.com

 

 

Acts 9:1-20, John 21:1-19 Redemption

The theme of this Easter season is redemption. Jesus died to save us from our sins and to restore our relationship with God. The readings from Acts 9:1-20 and John 21:1-19  are good examples of Jesus' work of restoration.

Paul's transformation was one of the most famous transformations in Christian history. Here was a man who was a religious zealot. He was so convinced that the way the Pharisees worshipped God was the only way that he actively persecuted the early Christian church. He was present when Stephen became the first Christian martyr. Paul even called himself a strict Pharisee in Philippians 3:5.

Jesus spent most of his time on earth arguing with the Pharisees. He argued that it was not necessary to worship God by obeying the 600 or so rules that the Pharisees had. He tried to make the Pharisees understand that God is for everyone, both Jews and Gentiles. He had little success---until he quite literally made Paul "see the light".  

Why did Jesus choose Paul to lead the church in its expansion to the Gentiles? We don't know for certain. God's ways are not easy for us to understand, even when we ask him "why".  Take Ananias, for example. God used him to go to Paul and lay hands on him. God always uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. God used Ananias to deliver the Holy Spirit to Paul, thereby preparing Paul for his ministry. 

Paul's reputation preceded him, but Ananias did not know that Paul encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. At the same time that God was speaking to Ananias, Paul was waiting in prayer and fasting for a word from Ananias to tell him what to do. Ananias was the one chosen by God to go to Paul and tell him where his future was. Ananias' knowledge of Paul's reputation was a barrier to obeying God's order immediately. 

Like Ananias, we have a word from God. We have an order to bring the Good News to a world that is tumbling toward hell. Our knowledge of people's reputations and opposition to the gospel often hinders our work. We have yet to hear that many people have reached the end of their hopes. We have yet to hear that people are in the depths of despair. We have yet to hear that people are frustrated by pleasure-seeking. We have yet to hear that people are frustrated by a daily routine without meaning.

Ananias also had his doubts. He told God about how Paul persecuted Christians, but God mentioned that he chose Paul to do his work. Ananias saw Paul as an enemy, but God saw Paul as an ally. God transformed Ananias from a doubter to a faithful servant. Ananias answered God's call so that Paul could answer God's call. No one is beyond salvation No one is beyond hope. Even if our past is dirty, God can clean us and make us whole. 

Paul saw the light of Christ even before he lost his physical sight. Paul had to lose his physical sight and be humbled by God so that he could gain spiritual sight. During his period of blindness, he ate and drank nothing, Was it because he was ashamed of his previous life? Maybe, but some scholars believe that he was preparing himself for the work God called him to do. Each of us has a place of obedience. Some of us only need a gentle nudge to lead us to God, while others need a lightning bolt. Paul realized that he was lost. He realized that by persecuting Christians, he was actually persecuting Jesus, the Messiah who had already come. Paul's conversion gave him a vibrant faith and a strong commitment to his calling.

Paul still had a will of his own, but he needed his own will and determination to do God's work. Paul is a good example for us to follow. When our will is merged with God's will, we can do great things for God's kingdom. We all want to control our own lives. Paul controlled his own life for more than 30 years, but when he "saw the light", he became dependent on others, including God. When he was redeemed by God, Paul surrendered control of his life to God. In return, God led Ananias to Paul, and God led Barnabas to introduce Paul to other believers and to help start Paul's ministry.

New believers need fellowship. Pastors can only do so much from the pulpit. New believers need living examples of what a Christian is. What do Christians do with their free time? How do Christians treat each other? New believers need to be out there in the real world with fellow believers, seeing how their new life will play out.  

Now, we turn to Peter, a man who often suffered from "foot in mouth disease". Almost every time he opened his mouth, he put his foot in it. He had a bad habit of acting first and thinking later. For example, Jesus said that Peter would deny him three times on the night before his crucifixion. Peter said he would be loyal to the end, but when the pressure was on him, he did deny Jesus three times. Not only that, but Peter and the disciples denied both the Christian way of life and their calling from God when they returned to fishing.

There are times when we want to throw in the towel and give up. There have been lots of others who have been down that same road. The good news is that God is faithful and abounding in steadfast love, and even when we feel discouraged and impatient and when we have lost all hope, God comes to us and calls us back into fellowship with him.

The disciples were discouraged when they thought that their walk with Jesus was over. It was at that point when Jesus showed up on the shore to extend forgiveness and draw the disciples back to him. Jesus often comes to us when we are at a low point in our lives. He often comes to us when we are discouraged, because it is precisely when we are discouraged and doubtful or uncertain in our faith that Jesus comes to us and gives us the strength we need.

God came to Paul, Ananias and Peter when and where they needed him. In return, they learned four hard lessons:

1. Seek God's will for your life. Otherwise, you will come up empty-handed.

2. When God calls you to do something, do it!.

3. Watch what you eat for spiritual food.

4. Live out your faith. Don't just show it.

When Peter was asked three times if he loved Jesus, Jesus was really asking him "Where am I on the scale of your affections?" Jesus knew the answer, but Peter needed to evaluate where Jesus was on his love scale. Jesus knew whether Peter's act of repentance truly brought him back  in undying love. Jesus was asking Peter if he loved him so deeply and personally that he would faithfully obey Jesus in the mission he was given. It was not a question of how many green leaves came forth in Peter's life, but how much fruit he would bear because he abided in Jesus' love. Peter cared for all the sheep. He fed the young ones, disciplined the stubborn ones and tenderly watched over the old ones.

For every public denial Peter made on the night before Jesus' crucifixion, Jesus gave him a public opportunity to state his faith. It was Jesus' way of hearing Peter's confession and pronouncing forgiveness for past sins. It was Jesus' way of saying, "Peter, since you love me, I need you to work for me". Jesus says the same thing to each and every one of us. Jesus died to take away every one of our sins. He assures us that our sins have been taken away. With the faith in Jesus that the Holy Spirit gives us, we are forgiven of the past and empowered for the future.  

Jesus redeemed Peter and the rest of the disciples, and they carried on his work in spite of persecution and opposition. Like them, we are redeemed by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. We are restored in faith to God, and then we can go and do his work in our world. Jesus loves us even when we turn away from him like Peter and the disciples did.

When we obey God, we will be rewarded. When the disciples cast their nets on the right side of the boat after Jesus told them to, they were rewarded with a huge catch. When we obey God by casting the net called the Good News when and where he tells us to, we will also be rewarded with a great catch-a great catch of souls.

The reading from John's Gospel concludes with an invitation to Peter and all of us to follow Jesus in the manner of both his death and his service to others. We are challenged to obey Christ even in the face of persecution. We would be wise to remember that many of our Christian brothers and sisters in other parts of the world are persecuted-even killed-because of their faith, but they still persevere in their faith because that is what Jesus has told them to do. If they can persevere, so can we.

We might think to ourselves, "I do love Christ, so why am I not doing what he has called me to do? Am I afraid of actually doing what he is calling me to do?" We can do everything Jesus is calling us to do. All we have to do is rely on him like Paul, Ananias and Peter did. We do not have to rely on our own strengths. Jesus is asking us today, "Do you love me?" Thanks to the redeeming power and grace of his love, we, like Peter, Paul and Ananias, can say "Yes".

 

Bibliography

 

1)      Rev. Dale Vander Veen, "Converting Grace". Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net

2)      John Shearman's Lectionary Resource, Easter 3. Retrieved from www.lectionary.seemslikegod.org.

3)      Exegesis for Acts 9:1-20. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

4)      Os Hillman, "Called to Someone Versus Something". Retrieved from Today_God_Is_First@crosswalkmail.com

5)      James MacDonald, "When God Finds Someone". Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

6)      Charles R. Swindoll, "A New Beginning". Retrieved from Insight.for.Living@insight.org

7)      Charles R. Swindoll, "No Surprises". Retrieved from Insight.for.Living@insight.org

8)      Greg Laurie, "What New Believers Need". Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

9)      J. Randal Matheney, "Don't Believe Everything You Hear". Retrieved from forthright@fastmail.fm

10)  Os Hillman, "The Place of Obedience". Retrieved from Today_God_Is_First@crosswalkmail.com

11)  Pastor Jack Hibbs, "Do You Love Me?" Retrieved from wttw@calvarycch.org

12)  Exegesis for John 21:1-19. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

13)  Frederickson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J., The Preacher's Commentary Series: Vol. 27, John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.; 1985)

14)  Dr. Philip W. McLarty, "Living the Promise". Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

15)  Rev. Dr. Ken Klaus, "Do You Love Me?" Retrieved from www.lhm.org

16)  Jim Penner, "Do You Love Me?" Retrieved from www.hourofpower.org

17)  John Van Schepen, "Revisiting Old Hurts". Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net

Dr. Philip W. McLarty, "Come, Break the Fast". Retrieved from www.lectionar

Hebrews 10:16-25 How Good Friday is Good For Us

What is so good about Good Friday? That is the question many of us probably ask when Good Friday comes around every year. After all, what is good about a day that commemorates Jesus' horrible torture and execution on a Roman cross?

Good Friday is a dark day in some respects because it commemorates the day that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, but it is also a bright day in other ways because Jesus' death and resurrection on Easter Sunday paved the way for our relationship with God to be restored. This is the good news that Jesus has asked us to spread, but in order to understand the good news, we have to understand the bad news that is called our sinful, human nature. Once we see that we are slaves to sin, the good news of deliverance makes sense.   

The book of Hebrews tells us to live by faith in God alone. The father of our faith is Abraham. His faith in God made him "right" before God. As a result of this righteousness, God protected his family as they grew into a nation, the Israelites. Moses was their first official leader to establish their worship, culture and laws. God spoke to Moses as he wrote down God's ways for the people, including the Ten Commandments.

These rules were given to teach the Israelites how to live. They were enforced to protect the Israelites from walking away from God and to protect them from destroying themselves and each other. These rules were not designed to replace faith, but by the time Jesus came these rules were more important than faith, mercy and kindness. The rules were more important than the people. Jesus did not come to abolish the Law. He came to fulfill it so that we, like Abraham, could be righteous through faith in God. 

The good news of salvation is the cornerstone of the joy of Easter. In order to appreciate the joy of Easter, we have to appreciate what Jesus endured on Good Friday. Sin had to be punished because God is a just god who demands justice and hates sin. Because he hates sin, and because he wants to restore  a loving relationship  with us, someone had to pay the price for our sins.

In Old Testament times, sins were paid for by sacrificing animals. These animals had to be prefect in the eyes of the priests, which led to the marketplace in the temple where animals who were deemed to be perfect for sacrifices were available for sale. That was the same marketplace where Jesus upset the tables and drove out the moneychangers. When he laid his hands on the animal, the priest symbolically transferred sins to the animal, and the animal's death symbolically cleansed the people from their sins.

Unfortunately, there was a problem. These sacrifices had to be repeated every time someone sinned, and because the priests were human, they also had a sinful nature. God wanted one ultimate sacrifice in order to complete his plan for our restoration to him. The only perfect sacrifice that would fulfill his plan was Jesus Christ, who was the perfect sacrifice because of his sinless nature. 

We can't underestimate the importance of what Jesus did for us on the cross. Before his death, we were separated from God. No one could approach God in the Holy of Holies portion of the Temple except for the high priest, and even then he could only enter it once a year on the Day of Atonement. Jesus' death destroyed the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple, and provided a way for us to be reconciled to him. Jesus removed the barriers for anyone who wanted to know and worship God. We can serve the Lord and abide in his presence.

When we accept what Christ did for us on Good Friday, we can get out of the black hole of our sinful, earthly life. That can be a struggle that we can't fight on our own. The Holy Spirit will help us, but other Christians are also ready to fight alongside us. The writer of Hebrews even states in Hebrews 10:24-25 that we must "not neglect our meeting together, as some do, but encourage one another, especially now that Christ's return is drawing near". Around Jesus were a close knit group, but those who believe in Jesus as Lord and Saviour were quickly shunned by non-believers. The writer of Hebrews encouraged the early believers by reminding them that God will never abandon them. We as believers today can also be confident in our hope because God will never abandon us.  

It is important for believers to gather together on a regular basis to worship God. We were not designed to "go it alone". Belonging to a church not only protects our fellowship with God, but it is a vital part of how God matures us and transforms us to his image. Part of that transformation includes believing in Jesus in faith, especially in what he did for us on Good Friday.

There is strength in numbers. Getting together with other Christians strengthens our faith and provokes us to do more for God. All of us can encourage someone, whether it is a family member, friend, co-worker, casual acquaintance or a stranger. We can encourage others to keep going in times of difficulty. By worshipping with other Christians, we can celebrate the Eucharist and remember the sacrifice Jesus made for us. We can't keep our faith strong unless we have encouragement from fellow Christians, just like Jesus encouraged his disciples and the early followers. True believers will not look the other way when we sin, just like God can't and doesn't ignore sin. Because of what Jesus did for us, we can have eternal life. We have direct access to God, unlike the Israelites in the Old Testament. Jesus' sacrifice means that we do not have to feel guilty about sinning against God, provided that we confess our sins and ask God to forgive us.

Belonging to a good church is so beneficial for both individuals and families that it is well worth finding a church where leaders and members not only love God and believe and teach his Word, but also where they are loving, accepting and non-judgmental; where they present grace with truth; and where they are committed to ministering to each other's needs. That's why God designed the church, and that's why  people such as Pope Francis I are trying to bring the church back to its roots just like Jesus brought the church back to its roots by his sacrifice on the cross. That, my friends, is one reason why Good Friday is good for us. 

The Christian life is based on God's promises. These promises fall into two categories:

                              1.            Unconditional: These are promises made without exceptions. A good example is the promise God made to Abraham to bless all the families on earth through him. Jesus, a descendant of Abraham, fulfills this promise because salvation is made available to all believers because of what he did on Good Friday.

                              2.            Conditional: These are promises that are subject to certain conditions. A good example is the promise that Jesus made to the disciples that the Holy Spirit would come to them if they waited in Jerusalem. We as humans can only make this type of promise because we can't control every circumstance.

The truth of the cross is that God remembered every single sin that every believer has committed or will commit (no matter how small) and punished Jesus for each and every one of them as our substitute. Jesus' righteousness is imparted to us so that we stand before God completely spotless. God forgets our sins because Jesus took them upon himself for us. The penalty has been paid, and so our sin debt has been forgiven.

God promises in Hebrews 10:17-18 that he will forget our sins if we confess them and believe in him in faith. The key words are "in faith". There are people who make what sounds like great confessions of faith, but in reality they have no faith at all. Real confessions come from the heart when believers get God's Word so deep in their hearts their lives are aligned with God's plan for their lives. For example, believing in the forgiveness of sins calls on us to live our lives in a particular way. When we live with God's forgiveness in our hearts, we are positive and hopeful. The hope of forgiveness comes from the pain of Good Friday. 

I want to close my message with a story about a little boy who was visiting his grandparents. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit the target. And getting a little discouraged; he headed back to dinner.

As he was walking back, he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved. In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the woodpile, only to see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch that day, Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes." But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today, didn't you, Johnny?" And then she whispered to him, "Remember, the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes.

                                                                        
Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing, and Grandma said, "I'm sorry, but I need Sally to help make supper." But Sally smiled and said, "Well, that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." And she whispered again, "Remember, the duck?" So Sally went fishing, and Johnny stayed.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he killed the duck. She knelt down, gave him a hug and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window, and I saw the whole thing. But because I love you, I forgave you. But I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you."

Jesus Christ is like the Grandma, standing at the window. He sees all our sins, but because he had made the ultimate sacrifice with his blood, we can have forgiveness. Christ is the sin eater who has taken care of all our sins, and that is another reason why Good Friday is good for us.

 Bibliography

      1.            Stanley, C.F., The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2009)

      2.            Justin Holcomb, "What's So Good About Good Friday?" Retrieved from www.christianity.com

      3.            Gwen Smith, "Through the Veil". Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmil.com

      4.            Steve Preston, "Assembly Together". Retrieved from bibletalk@freegroups.net

      5.            Elizabeth Cole, "Friends Don't Let Friends…". Retrieved from Homeword_with_Jim_Burns@crosswalkmail.com

      6.            Robert A. Schuller, "Live Guilt Free". Retrieved from positiveminute@hourofpower.cc

      7.            Amy Carroll, "Drawing Near". Retrieved from Encouragement_for_Today@crosswalkmail.com

      8.            Dick Inness, "What a Good Church Can Do For You, Part III". Retrieved from www.actsweb.org

      9.            Dr. Charles Stanley, "The Promises of God, Part I: Our God of Promise". Retrieved from www.intouch.org

  10.            Rev. Ken Klaus, "NO Forgiveness". Retrieved from www.lhm.org

  11.            Rick Renner, "True Profession is Form the Heart". Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

  12.            Dr. Keith Wagner, "Our Faith in Action". Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

 

13.        Dr. Mickey Anders, "The Sin Eater". Retrieved from www.lection

Genesis 11:27-12:9, Hebrews 11:1-8 Living a Life of Faith

All of us want to be remembered after we die, but I'm sure most of us would not like to be remembered  like these people, who had these supposed real epitaphs on their tombstones:

 1.      Here lies Johnny Yeast. Pardon me for not rising.

2.      Here lies Butch. We planted him raw. He was quick on the trigger, but slow on the draw.

3.      The children of Israel wanted bread, and the Lord sent them manna. Old clerk Wallace wanted a wife, and the Devil sent him Anna.

4.      She always said her feet were killing her, but nobody believed her.

5.      Looked up the elevator shaft to see if the car was on the way down. It was.

6.      Here lies the body of our Anna. Done to death by a banana. It wasn't the fruit that laid her low, but the skin of the thing that made her go.

7.      Here lies one Wood, enclosed in wood. One Wood within another. The outer wood is very good: We cannot praise the other.

 Every single person we regard as "great" in the Bible was a man or woman of faith. That faith made a difference in the way they lived and responded to God. That's why we remember them.

First, we need to define exactly what faith is. According to the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews, faith is the assurance that something we want is going to happen even though we can't see it. When God makes a promise, he keeps it-unlike people such as politicians. We have to trust God for more than what our natural abilities can accomplish. We have to trust God with our future because we can't see the future-only God can.

We can determine if we are in or out of faith by asking these questions:

1.      Am I doing what God told me to do?

2.      Am I fulfilling the assignment God gave me for my life?

3.      Am I living in obedience to His Word and to the revelation He has given to me?

4.      Am I sticking with the plan Jesus asked me to execute?

Hebrews 11 is about men and women who lived in faith. They each received a word from God for their lives or for their generation. They held on to their mandate from God even though it was difficult to do. As a result, they changed their generations and pleased God.

Faith is conviction from evidence. It is simply believing in God's goodness and believing that he rewards the people who seek after him. Faith makes the invisible real. It makes something out of nothing. Faith allows us to be everything that God wants us to be, but we will never be the blessing God wants us to be unless we fulfill God's purpose for our lives. Faith is a gift from God. We can accept it or reject it. If we accept it, we will see things through the eyes of faith, especially when we read and study God's Word.

We can choose to trust in ourselves and in our own efforts in order to earn God's pleasure, or we can choose to trust in Christ and let him live his life through us to enable us to live a life that is pleasing to God. Abraham obeyed God by faith. He did not question God's orders. It was very difficult for him to leave his homeland because of the patriarchical culture. He had to leave his extended family. He had to let go of his "security blanket". I'm sure he felt a sense of anxiety, but his faith in God helped him to overcome his fears. We would be wise to remember that only faith in God can save us from our worries.  

Abraham was rewarded for his faith by being made the father of the Jewish nation. God rewards faith. God blesses us and makes us a blessing, as the late Pastor Perry F. Rockwood would say every time he ended his radio broadcasts. Abraham set the gold standard for faithfulness, obedience and discipleship. Not everyone can reach that standard, but Abraham reminds us of what is possible.

When God speaks about blessing someone, it's a promise to intervene in that person's life in a powerful way. That blessing could be financial, family, emotional or spiritual in nature, but in order to receive that blessing, two conditions have to be met--- obedience and faith.

Abraham stepped out in faith to follow God, and he became identified with Christ. Everyone who follows Christ in faith also becomes identified with Christ. God's enemies become our enemies, and God's friends become our friends. When we trust God, we can truly walk with him in faith. If we have faith in God, we will do whatever he asks us to do. This can be hard to do. Most of us don't want to be told what to do. We want to be in charge of our own lives, instead of following the old advice to "let go and let God". In order for us to make it as Christians, we have to live life by faith in Christ in every area of our lives. God's dreams for us are worth giving up our lives for, but only if we believe in him in faith. God calls us to a faith that sets us free to be guided by him in our Christian walk of faith.

The readings we heard earlier deal with living a life of faith, which is one of the hardest things a Christian can do, even with God's help. Some of us are reluctant to have faith in God because we don't know all of the facts. We can't see the entire picture. God is like that. When we step out in faith, he doesn't tell us the entire plan he has for us. He reveals the plan one step at a time. We can be saved by faith without knowing all of the facts. We don't know everything there is to know about Christ and the Scriptures.

Billy Graham once said, "Most of us do not understand nuclear fission, but we accept it. I don't understand television, but I accept it. I don't understand radio, but every week my voice goes out around the world, and I accept it. Why is it so easy to accept all these man-made miracles and so difficult to accept the miracles of the Bible?"  

The road of faith is not easy. Real faith is more than receiving the things we want from God. Real faith is accepting from God the things he gives us. Real faith can change our lives. Faith allowed Noah to build the ark. Faith allowed Abraham to leave his homeland. Faith allows us to persevere when we face life's trials.

We struggle with our faith for many reasons. For example, human reasoning tells us that what God asks may seem unreasonable. We live by sight, but God does not always give us visible evidence of his work. Faith involves surrendering to our feelings. Faith means that we will receive negative advice or criticism from non-believers. Satan and feelings of guilt may cause us to neglect the Word of God. In fact, Satan often attacks our faith immediately after a triumph in faith.

If we are walking closely with the Lord and life deals us a blow that knocks us down, that does not mean we need to abandon our faith. In fact, these are the times when we need to turn to Him even more. It doesn't mean that we are doing something wrong or that God is unhappy with us. Instead, we should approach such times as a chance for God to do amazing things through our lives for his glory.  

Even the greatest preachers in history did not know everything there is to know about Christ and the Scriptures. Many of them also struggled with their faith. For example, Billy Graham had a crisis of faith early in his ministry. It happened just before his 1949 Los Angeles Crusade, which made him a household name. One of his friends accused him of being out of date with his faith and the language he used in his crusades. Even after considering Christ's attitude toward the Scriptures, Billy still had doubts. He wondered if he could trust the Bible.

He took a walk in the San Bernardino Mountains. He dropped to his knees, opened the Bible on a tree stump, and prayed the following prayer: "O God! There are many things in this book I do not understand. There are many problems with it for which I have no solution. There are many seeming contradictions. There are some areas in it that do not seem to correlate with modern science. I can't answer some of the philosophical and psychological questions (people) are raising".

Finally, the Holy Spirit freed Billy to say the following: "Father, I am going to accept this as Thy Word---by faith. I'm going to allow faith to go beyond my intellectual questions and doubts, and I will believe this to be Your inspired Word".

Our faith is only as great as our knowledge of the object of our faith. If we have little knowledge of God and His Word, we will have little faith. No faith is too small as long as it's faith. We can't please God unless we have faith. We can't take our faith for granted. We have to keep working on our faith every day. Faith is more than believing. It is acting on that belief. Faith allows ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

God has placed in us a hunger to know who we are and where we fit in the universe. No earthly thing can satisfy that hunger-not drugs, not alcohol, not even sex. Only faith in God can satisfy that spiritual hunger. St. Augustine once said, "O Lord, you have made us for yourself. Our hearts are restless until they find rest in you". That is oh so true today.

When we insist on living by sight and determining the results of our actions before we act, we short-circuit faith and cut God and His power out of our lives. When living by sight overcomes faith, our spiritual lives begin to dry up, we live at a lesser level of satisfaction, and our participation in influencing the world for God decreases. Romans 1:17 states that faith is a foundational principle for living the Christian life. When we choose to trust God enough to walk by faith rather than by sight, we exercise our faith and its capacity grows. Our spiritual lives are strengthened and we can live life to its fullest.

Bibliography

1.      Graham, Billy: Just As I AM: The Autobiography of Billy Graham (Toronto, ON: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.; 1997)

2.      Exegesis for Genesis 12:1-4. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com

3.      Pastor Joe McKeever, "The Hardest Part of the Christian Life". Retrieved from www.jowmckeever.com

4.      Dr. Ray Pritchard, "It's the Faith, Brother". Retrieved from www.keepbelieving.com

5.      Dr. Harold Sala, "What You Believe Makes a Difference". Retrieved from newsleter2@guidelines.org

6.      Os Hillman, "Experiencing God in Your Business". Retrieved from Today_God_Is_Frirst@crosswalkmail.com

7.      Rick Warren, "Listen to God, Not Your Doubts". Retrieved from conect@newsletter.purposedriven.com

8.      Daniel B. Clendenin, PhD, "The Longest and Hardest Journey". Retrieved from www.jhourneywithjesus.net

9.      Alan Smith, "The Reason We Remember Great People". Retrieved from thought-for-the-day@hub.xc.org

10.  Mary Southerland, "Gideon Meets Indiana Jones". Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

11.  Joel Osteen, "Now Faith Is". Retrieved from no-reply@joelosteen.com

12.  Bayless Conley, "The Place of Blessing". Retrieved from answersweekly@answersbc.org

13.  Neil Anderson, Believing Truth is a Choice". Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

14.  Joel Osteen, "Believing is Seeing". Retrieved from no-reply@joelosteen.com

15.  Dr. Charles Stanley, "God Bless You". Retrieved from In-Touch-with-Charles-Stanley@crosswalkmail.com

16.  Jim Liebelt, "The Impala Syndrome". Retrieved from Homeword@crosswalkmail.com

17.  Jim Burns, "Great Acts of Faith". ". Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

18.  Michael Youssef, PhD, "Our Transformation". Retrieved from mydevotional@leadingtheway.org

19.  Evans, L.H. Jr. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher's Commentary Series: Vol. 33, Hebrews (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985)