Critical Faith Investigation (C.f.i)

C.F.I.

Critical Faith Investigation

Hebrews 11:1-3

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Hebrews 11:1-3

As we look at the breakdown of the message it is clear that we must understand the importance of examining where we stand in our Faith. Let me give an expository breakdown of the word Faith. When we were little children and our parents asked us every year about two to three months before the holidays or our birthdays what we wanted. And we eagerly prepared the list of desires we had within our little minds yet every year they managed to produce the list and we as children looked up to them even more in our belief that they could do the impossible. If we think about this level of Faith that we had as children and look into the word of God in Mark 9:37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me but him that sent me. Think about this point as we all have aged overtime we waiver in our Faith with doubt, fears, and questions not having that Faith like we did as the innocents of children. Therefore in this message there are 2 key points we have to address

1. How powerful is your Faith

2. Are you running and Shining in your Faith

3. The ABC’s of Faith

See when I researched just the word FAITH I found that HOPE is an important factor in this message for Hope is the key factor to how effective we are in our walk in Faith. Let me give it to this way Just as Grace and Mercy, Love and Patience walk together HOPE and FAITH walk the same way. Therefore in the book of Hebrews itself is a combination of Letters giving a direct understanding of the portrayal of Jesus Christ as our Intercessor at the Throne. It is clear that we as Christians deserve better in every way. We must recognize that the Book Hebrews has been considered the fifth Gospel for it describes Christ’s ministry in heaven at the right hand of God the father. Therefore think about it when you hear these two words Critical and Investigation the first thing that generally comes to mind is there is a something drastically wrong such as a medical test that you await the lab technicians to test. Or there is criminal matter that is a strong concern for the communities and the police are doing a deep investigation. But when we think of being critical regarding our individual FAITH are we true to ourselves in our mirror examination of how effective is our FAITH. Turn to your neighbor and say neighbor; you can wake up now the preacher is done with just the introduction.

During the time of World War II there was a prisoner in Auschwitz concentration camp by the name of Dr. Viktor Frankl and Austrian psychiatrist who during his years of captivity observed how some people survived the divesting camps they were placed in and others did not. He states:

“For the prisoner who had lost faith in the future, his future is doomed. With his loss of belief in the future, he also lost his spiritual hold; he let himself decline and become subject to mental and physical decay…. The only chance people had of making it in the camps was their ability to focus on some future goal, it had nothing to do with who was the healthiest or strongest, but who had someone waiting back home for them or who had some vocational goal they dreamed of realizing one day.”

It is apparent that in order to be powerful in our Faith and effective in our faith we must not allow any obstacles in life to beat us down and over take us. Just as in Gen 16:3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. God made a promise to Abram that his seed would bring forth great leaders for the people of Israel but Sarai being of old age did not believe that the promise would come forth because she looked at the physical aspect of the promise not the spiritual aspect. Therefore she anticipated God’s plan by offering Haggai unto Abram which brought forth Ismael. See when step before God or Jump before God we hinder the blessings that he has already prepared for us because we lack the power in our Faith. And when we do actions such as anticipation in the situation we may be facing is proving our trouble to truly believe and rely in our Heavenly Father. First of all we must realize that our FAITH is the Greatest power in the world we have to start examining our level of Faith in our daily walk for it is not a hope- so feeling our True Bible Believing Faith is our confidence unto God’s Word in spite of what the world may say different. See when you read Hebrews 11:1 For Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. Think about this church we have two major words that must be address so that we can begin to truly walk in our Power of FAITH. And those words are clear Substance and Evidence. Webster defines substance as ultimate reality that underlies all outward manifestations and change; and Evidence is defined as something that furnishes proof / bear witness. Looking at both of these words is clear that in order to sustain our relationship with Jesus we must trust in the substance and not look for the evidence; which is our Hope working in our Faith. Nevertheless it is important that we have a solid foundation just like the builder does when they build a house such is our Faith. See when we are strong in our Faith we can give proof such as the word of God a Good report. For in that report is the evidence of our powerful FAITH in GOD. See in this Power Faith is where we need to examine ourselves again by asking such questions: