Deeper Faith

A Deeper Faith

What is Faith? The Dictionary defines faith as:

1. 1a : allegiance to duty or a person : (1) : fidelity to one's promises (2) : sincerity of intentions acted in good faith

2. 2a (1) : belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2) : belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion b (1) : firm belief in something for which there is no proof. (2) : complete trust

3. 3: something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially : a system of religious beliefs

The scripture gives a simple and easily understood definition of faith in Heb 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Many people say that they have no faith, but I would disagree. Whether we know it or not, we practice a great deal of faith every day.

When you set your alarm clock, you are exercising a small amount of faith that it will go off at the desired time. Some of you may have had a problem with that today.

When you pay your electric bill you are exercising a small amount of faith that the lights will stay on.

When you got in your car to come to church this morning, you were exercising a great deal of faith in this device (hold up brake master cylinder).

Many of you do not know what this is; others will be very familiar with it. Who knows what this is? Right, a brake master cylinder. This relatively small device is simply a piston that compresses fluid.

The fluid then activates slave cylinders that pinch the rotors on your wheels that, in turn; generate a great deal of friction, thus causing your car to stop.

Think about that, about 2 cups of brake fluid are used to bring your 5000lb vehicle to a stop every time you step on the brake pedal.

(hold up an O-ring) Tiny rubber O-rings that weigh no more than half a gram hold back the intense pressure needed to make this system work. Without them the entire system would fail.

So, if anyone ever tells you they have no faith, just remind them that every time they apply the brakes in their car, they are expressing a great deal of faith…

…faith in the parts that makes up the braking system in their car and faith in the engineers that designed the system.

Every time we get on an airplane, or elevator, or drive through an intersection when the light is green, we are practicing faith. Faith is a part of our daily lives.

Well, if we consistently practice faith in daily life, what about faith in God? Do we have the ability to have faith in God?

Many people would tell you that they can’t or won’t express faith in God. Some would tell you that people cannot express faith in God unless God allows them to.

That’s all well and good, but what does God’s Word have to say about such things?

According to Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

Because we were created in the image of God, each and every human on this planet has been given a measure of faith that is sufficient for them to believe when exposed to the Holy Word of God.

I know this because God’s Word tells me this in Romans 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

These two verses alone are sufficient to fuel every missionary journey ever conceived.

If there is in every human soul a given amount of Faith, and it is activated by exposure to the Word of God, then we need no other compulsion to preach the Word of God to every man, woman, and child of the face of this Earth.

So, what kind of faith pleases God? Galatians 3:6 gives us some insight into that question, it says, Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

God has given each of us sufficient faith to believe Him, to believe His Word, to understand His free offer of salvation.

We refer to this type of faith as “saving faith.” There are several places in scripture that teach what this involves.

John 3:15 “…whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Acts 2:38 “Repent,” Peter said to them, “and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 8:36-37 “The Eunuch said…“See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”