The Foundation Of Faith

The Foundation of Faith

Hebrews 11:1

September 17, 2000

Morning Worship

Introduction

Where there is no faith in the future there is no power in the present

I. Hudson Taylor and his trip to China

A. A dangerous situation

1. The captain comes to Taylor’s room

2. The captain reports that they have no wind and was drifting toward an island. An Island full of cannibals

B. The request

1. The captain asks for Taylor to pray for God to send them some wind

2. Taylor agrees to pray but only if the captain will raise the sail

3. The captain resists claiming that there was no wind at all and that the sailors would think that he was crazy

C. The result

1. The captain raises the sail and Taylor begins to pray

2. 45 minutes later the captain returns – You can stop praying now. We have more wind than we can use.

II. What is Faith?

A. Webster: Firm belief is something for which there is no proof, complete trust; allegiance to duty or a person

B. H.L. Menchen: Faith may be defined briefly as an illogical belief in the occurrence of the improbable

C. Max Lucado: Faith is the belief that God is real and that God is good… It is a choice to believe that the one who made it all hasn’t left it all and that he still sends light into the shadows and responds to gestures of faith…

Faith is the belief that god will do what is right.

God says that the more hopeless your circumstances, the more likely your salvation. The greater your cares, the more genuine your prayers. The darker the room, the greater need for light.

God’s help is near and always available, but it is only given to those who seek.

There is a massive difference between secular faith and biblical faith

Q – What is biblical faith?

Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)

The Qualities of Faith

I. Faith sees the Unseen

Faith moves on the unseen with expectations and evidence

A. Expectations

1. Things we hope for

a.) God is real, God will never forsake me

b.) God will forgive our sin, We will have eternal life in heaven

2. Our hopes are based on fact

a.) These are more than mere wishes or pipe dreams

b.) Our faith and hope is based on God’s promises

1.) We can have vain hope or dead faith – Based on personal desires

 God does not promise to give you all of the money that you want

 God does not promise to make your life free from trials or difficulty

2.) True faith is based on God’s promises to us

FACT: God will forgive you of you sin, if you ask. Expect it!

FACT: God will never forsake you. Expect it!

FACT: God will guide you in life. Expect it!

B. Evidence

1. The purpose of evidence

a.) Evidence is used to establish a point or belief. It proves something

b.) Power of evidence

Evidence rules out conjecture

Evidence rules out feelings

Evidence rules out probabilities

2. Evidence for faith

a.) Examples of evidence

1.) The ground is wet – it must have rained

2.) The thermometer is high – it must be hot outside

b.) Christian evidence

1.) Millions of changed lives

2.) Dead apostles: Died terrible and painful deaths – Who would die for a lie?

3.) Empty tomb – Jesus Christ Himself

II. Faith hears the Unheard

A. God speaks in a still, small voice

1. God does not yell and scream His will to us but rather speaks softly

2. God can still make you a powerful agent of His grace

3. Faith is resting in the fact that God has an objective in leaving me on the scene when I feel useless to Him and a burden to others – Pamela Reeve

B. E. Stanley Jones

1. Jones was to travel by boat to hold evangelistic meetings

A. In line for tickets God began to tell Him not to get on the boat

B. Jones decides not to go to the meeting

2. Jones receives word about the boat

A. En route to their destination the boat sank with no survivors

B. Jones was later asked the following questions

1. Do you believe that there were other Christians killed in that boat accident? Yes

2. Why did God choose to speak to you and not the rest of the people?

3. Jones response: God speaks to all of His children but not all of His children listen to Him

III. Faith believes the Unbelievable

A. Martin Luther: God, our Father, has made all things depend on faith, so that, whoever has faith will have everything and whoever does not have faith will have nothing.

B. God provides all that we need all of the time