A single traveler... had hiked for many miles ... across the desert ... His water supply was gone, ...and he knew .... if he did not find water soon... he would surely die.
In the distance ... he saw what looked like... an abandoned cabin, ....and when he arrived......he discovered an old rusty pump.... near the back door.
Then he noticed.... a tin can tied to the pump, ...with a note inside.
The note had the following inscription: ...Dear Stranger: ...The well has never gone dry, ...but the pump needs to be primed in order to bring up ...the water.
Under the white rock, ...I buried a jar of water, ...away from the sun.
There is just enough water in the jar.... to prime the pump.
Pour half of it into the pump ...to wet the leather.
Wait, .... then pour in the rest of the water ......and begin to pump.
When you are finished, ...please fill the jar ...and put it back as you found it ......for the next traveler ...who comes this way.
Have faith, ... and believe. (Long Pause)
Beloved.... If you were a lonely traveler in the desert... what would you do?
Will you dig the water jar from the sand... and drink it?
Or will you believe... and in believing ... follow the directions ... and pour .... Every drop of water, ...into pump?
Will you take the risk, ...both for yourself ....and for the next weary traveler ... that may pass that way?
What ...would you ... do? (Pause)
That story possesses an interesting question... for each of us.
Do you believe ... Do you trust ... do you have faith ... faith to act ... on that ... which is written?
Now in much the same way ...... God has laid before us...... a written note.... A note that we call ... the Holy Scriptures.
They are our words ... words of salvation ... words of life.... Words of living water... to quench the thirst of our souls ... in this desert.... called life.
They are ...the source of life, ... they point to eternal life .... Eternal life found only.... in Christ Jesus.
A Living water ... from which we will thirst ....no more.
Do you believe God's word?
Do you have faith in God's word..., are you ready to follow in his steps ... in the way of eternal life?
Or Is it all about.... your way?
Jesus is our salvation ...in the desert of life ... He is our source of life ... life ... on both sides of eternity.
Do you believe in Jesus, do you have faith in him ...or are you going... your own way?
Have you ignored .... The written word of God?
Have you ignored.... The promises of God?
Our lesson this morning from John's Gospel... calls us to believe ...It calls us ... to a life in Faith.
Hear God's Word.
Someone in the crowd asked Jesus, BIBLE "What must we do ....to perform the works of God?" Jesus answered them, ... "This is the work of God ...that you believe in him ... whom he has sent." Then Jesus goes on, "I am the bread of life; ... Whoever comes to me... shall never hunger, ...whoever believes in me ... shall never thirst." END (John 6:24-35)
We are called to believe...and to act on this belief ...through ... Faith.
Everyone ... each of us......daily expresses faith.... in something.
No one can live a single day ... without exercising faith.
When you rise in the morning ... and go into the bathroom ... you flip a light switch... and ... have faith ...... that it will work.
When you enter your car...... you turn the key ...and have faith ... that it will start.
When you mail a letter ...you have faith ...... that the postal system ...will deliver it ....to the right address. ...... Someday!
Every time you walk into a building ...you are expressing faith ... faith in the architect... faith in the workmen.
In each instance ... there was an action.... To substantiate ......your faith.
You flip a switch ... you turn a key, ... you mail a letter... you walk into a building. (Pause)
The measure of our faith ....is Not... our "talk".
It is not what we say... we ... will do!
Beloved ... the measure of faith.... Is... our "walk".
Faith is what we do. ......It is not ......what we say ...we ... will do.
(Chair Illustration)
(Point at Chair) I believe this Chair... will hold my weight.
(Step on chair) but this is Faith... Faith that it... will indeed ... hold my weight.
You see, ...faith is never something ...to just proclaim.
It is something that must be demonstrated ...in the way ... that we live our life. (Pause)
Paul Harvey once said ... "If you do not live it ... you do not really...... believe it."
And ...There is a Biblical basis... for that statement.
Hear God's word BIBLE" Show me your faith apart from your works, ......and I will show you my faith ... by ... my works." END (James 2:18).
Believing is one thing ...... but do you have Faith, ...... do you have an action filled ... apostolic faith.
Now maybe.... Instead of calling it Faith ... we should call it ... Faithing.
The word translated Faith in the Greek.... Is a verb, ...that requires ... action.
It is Faith in action.... It is ... Faithing.
And this Faithing ... is also expressed ......in the spiritual realm.
The difference... between the Faithing we exercise in our daily routine in the world ...and spiritual Faithing ...... is the object ...of that faith.
Everyone places their faith in something ...or someone.
And the truth is ...Your faith... is only as good ...as the object .... the person... the Ideal.... in which... you place your faith.
The Scriptures are clear ...that we as believers ......should place our faith ... our trust ....in the Spiritual Ideal ...... In the eternal Ideal of Jesus.
Hear Gods word from Acts BIBLE "Nor is there salvation in any other, ...for there is no other name under heaven.......by which ...we must be saved." END (Acts 4:12)
The writer of Hebrews also portrays what real biblical faith looks like.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, ...the evidence of things ... not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)
True faith ......brings forth ... a confident obedience to God's word ... despite life's circumstances ... despite life's consequences.
Faith is described ...in a two-fold way.
It is the ... "substance of things hoped for," ....and ... "the evidence ...of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)
Faith is the acting foundation ... that gives a believer ... the confidence ......to stand firm ... in their Faith.
Confidence to stand firm ...in their Faithing. (Pause)
Beloved, ... The Holy Spirit is the wind in our sails; ... The indwelling presence of God ... enabling us ...... to live a life ...of Faithing.
If we proceed under our own strength .... Under our own wind ... under our own efforts, ... in the end...... (Slow) we will fail.
Yet Beloved, ...there is a transforming power available to us ....and to all ...who call themselves ......followers of the Christ.
And it is Faith......Action Faith ... that is the key ...to unlocking this spiritual power.
And to receive this transforming power ... we must open ourselves.... to the guidance ...of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit ... works in and through... acting faith.
If we are to succeed ...... we must learn ...to walk in Faith.
And for the Christian, ......faith is not spelled "F-A-I-T-H" ......it is spelled "R-I-S-K."
For ... If something is not a Risk ... Then it really does not require ......Faith. (REPEAT).
And the Scriptures are so clear: "Without faith....it is impossible to what? ....to please God". (Hebrews 11:6).
Beloved... A risk-free life ... is a Faith Less life.
A risk-free life ... is a victory free.... life.
It means a lifelong surrender ...to the mediocre, which in a way ....is the worst ...of all possible defeats.
It is time for Christians ......to break free ......of being mediocre....... Of being stationary.
Being content ... rowing in their comfortable little boat .... And not growing.... in the faith.
Beloved ... you cannot walk on the water ... if you stay in the boat.
Satan and his army... are a present reality in our lives ... whether you accept it ...or not. (Pause).
We are engaged in a spiritual war....... A serious battle.
Paul told young Timothy ... "fight the good fight of faith ... lay hold of ... eternal life." (1 Timothy 6:12)
The spiritual war ... we are involved in....... Is that good fight.
Are you prepared ... for the battle?
There is no time ... for idol sideline watching.
Satan and his army are scattering and destroying ... Jesus Christ... is gathering his own ... for the battle.
Is your covered with your spiritual armor?
Are you involved ...in building ... the kingdom?
Are you sharing grace ... with the lost?
It is impossible ...to be neutral... in this spiritual war. (Pause).
O' Beloved (Pick up Bible) ...Faith requires us ...to trust... to Trust in Jesus .... And to trust in ... His Holy Word.
Faith requires us... to take Action... To... R-I-S-K.!
If we do not trust God ... Well ... It is ....as if we did not prime the pump ... and instead drank .... the jar of water ... that was buried in the sand. (Pause)
Beloved...You are a traveler ... A traveler...upon this island in the universe ... we call earth.
You come across a book, ...a book with 66 other books within it.
As you read it ... You see the spiritual truths that lie within.
God gives you... the assurance, ... the strength.... the conviction ....to live life ....to live life ...to the fullest.
Yet the Words also asks you... to surrender yourself ......to surrender yourself...to another.
To surrender yourself ...to Jesus.
Jesus ... The author and finisher...of your faith.
Each of us......daily expresses faith.... in something.
You flip a switch ... you turn a key, ... you mail a letter... you walk into a building.
In each instance ... there was an action.... To substantiate ......your faith.
Everyone places their faith in something ...or someone.
Your faith... is only as good ...as the object .... the person... the Ideal.... in which... you place your faith.
The Scriptures are clear ...that we as believers ......should place our faith ... our trust ....in the Spiritual Ideal ...... In the eternal Ideal of Jesus.
So......What will you do?
The Scriptures proclaim......Today ... This Day is the day of Salvation.
Many that call themselves Christians have only called upon Jesus as their Savior ... and not their Lord.
If you have not accepted Jesus as both your Savior and Lord... Then Step out in Faith... In Faithing.... And receive him ...Today.
Receive him... accept Him as your Savior... and the Lord... of your life.
If you have received Jesus ... If he is your Lord and Savior ... then I ask you ... to empty yourself ...of self ... and yield to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit ... who abides within your very being.
To be mature in your faith ... to get out of your boat ... and walk on the water.
Before we come to the Lords table.
We will each have the opportunity ... to confess before God what we believe as a people ... in the words of the Apostle's Creed (Nicene Creed).
It is my prayer, ... that you will not just repeat the words ... but in your faithing ... confess them ...boldly.
Amen!
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