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Faith That Pleases God
Contributed by Jon Miller on Feb 23, 2005 (message contributor)
Summary: God has given every man a measure of faith, but a faith that Pleases God is one that has the person Jesus Christ as its object
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Faith that Please God
Hebrews 11:1-
Everyone has Faith the Bible Says in Romans 12:3 (KJV)
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that 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.
When we sit on a chair, we have faith that the chair will not fall. We have faith in the furniture maker who built it, don’t we? If we go to a restaurant for dinner, we have faith in the chef who cooked it, in the servers who keep it at the correct temperature and in the health inspectors who guarantee it is safe to eat.... although we don’t know them. When we purchase a new automobile, we have faith in the person who designed it, in the people who built it, in the inspectors who tested it for safety. In fact, we have faith. that everything will work safely and completely. In other words, we trust people without a thought or moment of hesitation. In order to understand this more clearly, let’s go to I John 5:9.
“If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater:
for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son”(I John 5:9). KJV
Illustration: It was a good answer that was once given by a poor woman to a minister who asked her, "What is faith?" She replied: "I am ignorant, and I cannot answer well, but I think it is taking God at His word."
This list of people in this chapter is not a list of the perfect, but it is a list of people who were imperfect, who questioned, doubted and argued with God. People who at one point or another didn’t do God’s will. People who when they tried to had become discouraged, down trodden, disappointed. People who had felt all alone, like they were the only ones really trying - who must have felt like giving up. How could God possibly have put these people on his top forty list?
I propose that it wasn’t their character, their perfection, their amazing feats that got them on the list but the fact that they had faith a faith that pleased God
Faith that pleases God must have The person of Jesus Christ as its object
John 6:29 (KJV)
Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
John 20:29 (KJV)
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
Faith that please God is A WORSHIPPING FAITH Heb. 11:4 (Gen.4)
vs. 4 “it was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God…God accepted Abel’s offering to show that he was a righteous man. And although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us because of his FAITH.”
It wasn’t enough for Abel to say he believed in God. He heard the voice of God and he used the faith that he had in God. He practiced his faith. He put into action what he believed.
Worship! That is what the Father is seeking. Abel made a sacrifice that was acceptable or pleasing unto God. Hebrews 11:6 says it is impossible to please God without FAITH. Therefore, we can conclude that Abel had faith that he was living out what God wanted him to do in his worship…to give a blood sacrifice. That was his worship.
Faith that Pleases God is a walking Faith
Hebrews 11:5 (KJV)
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
Genesis 5:24 (KJV)
And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
That means he had faith as he walked his everyday walk with God. His actions pleased God. And then one day as he was walking his walk of faith God took him.
Walking has to do with the way one lives his/her life. This is a life that is always rehearsing its faith. No matter what time of day or night. Whether there is sunshine or rain, comfort or pain. This WALKING FAITH has the power to form character and does not fear death.
When people here you talk about your faith, have you been putting into action and practicing it in such a way that your talk matches up with your walk.
James 1:22 says, “But be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
A working faith
Hebrews 11:7 (KJV)