“The Foundation of Our Prayers”

Spiritual Leadership in the Church Series

1 Tim 2:5-7

 

THEME: churches are to conduct their services with order with prayer to God in Jesus Names as the first Priority.

INTRODUCTION:

Church prayers like private prayers are rooted in Christ and the privileges He affords each believer. Yes, our prayers have a glorious foundation in Jesus Christ. 

MESSAGE:

The Basis For Prayer (1 Tim.2:5–7).

            1.  The Perfect Mediator.

Many believers do not realize that prayer is based on the work of Jesus Christ as Savior and Mediator. 

a. There is one God.

1) God is one; therefore, He is the God of all men, and prayer should be addressed to Him in behalf of all men.

·       As the one God, He desires the salvation of all men. If He were one of many gods, He might be concerned only about His own worshipers.

2) There is no other way of salvation (Acts 4:12).

Acts 4:12, Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

3) Hence there is the need to pray for the lost to come to know the one true God (Deut. 4:35,39; 6:4; Is. 43:10; 44:6; 45:5,6,21,22; 46:9; 1 Cor. 8:4,6). 

b. As The God-Man, Jesus Christ Is The Perfect Mediator Between The Holy God And His Failing Children.

1) Mediator refers to someone who intervenes between two parties to resolve a conflict or ratify a covenant.

·       One Mediator between God and men. This being so, no man can come to God in any other way.

o   A mediator is a go-between, a middleman who can stand between two and communicate with both.

o   Through Christ, Himself Man, God is enabled to approach men with forgiveness of sins. Consequently any poor sinner can approach Him, and will by no means be rejected. 

·       Jesus Christ is the only “Mediator” who can restore peace between God and sinners. (see Heb. 9:11–15).

o   Hebrews 8:6, But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

o   Hebrews 9:15, And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

o   Hebrews 12:24, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

·       “Mediator is a concept derived from the ceremonial worship prescribed in the Old Testament. In the tabernacle and later in the temple, the priests meditated between God and the Israelites by offering animal sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people and by interceding to God for the nation. In their position as mediators, the priests were the only ones eligible to enter the Holy Place, the place where God had made His presence known.” ---(Nelson Study Bible)   

2) One of Job’s complaints had to do with the absence of a mediator who could take his message to the throne of God. “Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.” (Job 9:33).

3) Since there is only one God, there is need for only one Mediator; and that Mediator is Jesus Christ. No other person can qualify. (1Tim. 2:5)

·       Christ Jesus is both God and man, and, therefore, can be the “umpire” between God and man. There is one God from whom salvation is available. There is only one way to Him, through the Mediator, Christ Jesus, who has the full nature of God and the full nature of man. Christ has identified with us; He understands us perfectly and represents us at the right hand of God the Father (see Rom. 8:34).

·       Paul identifies the Mediator as the Man, Christ Jesus. This does not deny the deity of the Lord Jesus. In order to be the Mediator between God and men, He must be both God and Man. The Lord Jesus is God from all eternity, but He became Man in Bethlehem’s manger. He represents the whole race of humanity. The fact that He is both God and Man is indicated in the name Christ Jesus. Christ describes Him as God’s anointed One, the Messiah. Jesus is the name given to Him in Incarnation.

4) “The verse effectively answers the teaching so common today that the blessed Virgin Mary or angels or saints are mediators between God and man. There is only one Mediator, and His name is Christ Jesus.

Verse 5 summarizes the messages of the OT and NT. One God was the message of the OT entrusted to Israel; one Mediator—the message of the NT entrusted to the church. As Israel failed in her responsibility by worshiping idols, so the professing church has failed in her responsibility by introducing other mediators—Mary, saints, clergy, etc.”     --- MacDonald, W.

c. In His Perfect Life And Substitutionary Death, He Met The Just Demands Of God’s Holy Law. (1Tim. 2:6)

1) He was the “ransom for all.” This is the work of the Mediator (v. 5) giving Himself a ransom for all.    (1Tim. 2:6)

·       The word ransom means “a price paid to free a slave.”

·       The ransom is a payment given instead of a slave or prisoner—that is, in substitution for him or her. The person holding the slave accepts the payment as a substitute.

·       According to Gal. 3:13, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law. The law held us captive in its condemnation, and no one but Christ could pay the price to release us from this bondage.

o   Galatians 3:13, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

·       Christ substituted His life for ours. Our sins had separated us from God and held us in condemnation. Christ paid the penalty for our sins so that we could be reconciled to our Father and freed us from the prison of the Law.

2) His death was “for all” or “on behalf of all people.”

·       Though the death of Christ is efficient only for those who trust Him, it is sufficient for the sins of the whole world.

·       Jesus said that He came “to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). (see Mark 10:45)

·       This verse is one of many which teach that the death of Christ was substitutionary. He died in behalf of all. Whether all will accept it is another question, but the fact remains that the redemptive work of Christ was sufficient in value for all.

            2.  The Perfect Method.

Christ died for “all men,” and God is willing for “all men to be saved.” How does this Good News get out to a sinful world? (1Tim. 2:6)

a. God Calls And Ordains Messengers Who Take The Gospel To Lost Sinners.

1) To Be Testified In Due Time Means That The Testimony Concerning Christ’s Substitutionary Work Was To Be Borne In Its Own Time. (1Tim. 2:6)

·       The same God who desires the salvation of all men and provided the way of salvation for all men, has decreed that the gospel message should go out in this age in which we live.

·       All of this is designed to demonstrate the overwhelming longing on the part of God to save and bless mankind.

2) Paul Was One Of These Messenger! (1Tim. 2:6-7)

·       He Was A Preacher (The Herald Of The King).

o   As a final evidence of God’s desire for the salvation of all men, Paul states that he was “ordained” or appointed a preacher and an apostle to the Gentiles.

·       Then, as now, Gentiles constituted the greater portion of the population of the world.

·       It was not to one small segment of mankind, such as the Jews, that the apostle was sent, but rather to the Gentile nations.

o   Paul had been appointed a preacher (herald or messenger; see 2 Tim. 1:11).

·       A preacher is literally a proclaimer of the gospel.

·       He was to declare the gospel to the majority of the human race, not only to the Jews.

·       A herald was one who brought important news, much like our announcers at important events or like political ambassadors.

·       Thus, as Paul reminded the Ephesians, it can be seen that God desires everyone to be saved.

·       He was An Apostle (One Sent With A Special Commission). (1Tim. 2:7)

o   He speaks of himself as an apostle also.

·       The duties of an apostle may be somewhat broader—he not only preaches the gospel but plants churches, guides local churches in matters of order and discipline, and speaks with authority as one sent by the Lord Jesus Christ.

·       He operated with a sense of divine commission (1 Cor 15:7-11).

·       He was sent by God on a mission to establish Gospel ministries abroad.

o   Those who felt that the gospel was only for Jews in the Ephesian Church  were evidently being corrected.

·       This was a common problem, remember the case of Peter (Acts 10:9-43; Gal. 2:11-13).

·       Thus Paul cited his own commission as apostle . . . to the Gentiles as a clincher.

·       He was A Teacher. He was one who expounds the word of God in such a manner that it will be understood by the people. (1Tim. 2:7)

o   To give added emphasis to what he is saying, Paul confirms his claim to be a teacher of the Gentiles by the words “I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not.”

o   Teacher of the Gentiles describes the ministry to which Paul had been commissioned (see Acts 9:15; Rom. 11:13).

·       Faith refers to one’s initial salvation (justification);

·       Verity (truth) relates to the believer’s growth in salvation (sanctification).

·       Paul was called not only to preach the gospel to the Gentiles but also to guide their growth in the truth.

·       This is why he left Timothy at Ephesus. Timothy was to charge the Ephesians not to teach other doctrines, fables, or endless genealogies (1:4).

o   The words “in faith and verity” may describe the faithful and honest way in which the apostle carried out his teaching ministry, but more probably they describe the contents of his teaching. In other words, he taught the Gentiles in matters pertaining to faith and verity. (1Tim. 2:6)

o   Paul’s assurances of his truthfulness were stylistic devices designed to stress the importance of his point (Rom. 9:1; 2 Cor. 11:31; Gal. 1:20).

b. The same God who ordains the end (the salvation of the lost) also ordains the means to the end: prayer and preaching of the Word. This Good News ministry should still define us today. 

c. If the basis for prayer is the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ on the cross, then prayer is a most important activity in a church.

·       Not to pray is to slight the cross! To pray only for ourselves is to deny the worldwide outreach of the cross. To ignore lost souls is to ignore the cross.

·       “All men” [people] is the key to this paragraph: We pray for “all” because Christ died for “all” and it is God’s will that “all” be saved. We must give ourselves to God to be a part of His worldwide program to reach people before it is too late.

 

A ‘Christian’ Family?

A ‘Christian’ Family?

 

Several reasons can be given for the breakup of Christian marriages.  One of the major reasons is a failure to understand the true biblical basis for Christian marriage. For a Christian marriage to withstand the pressures of a secular society, a couple must know and practice what God, the creator of marriage, has to say on the subject.  Many Christian couples’ marital foundation collapsed because they did not have a biblical underpinning.  We must also remember that secular humanism, social media, and feminism have ransacked the home and plagued it with problems like delinquency, social materialism, drug abuse, disrespect, abortion, pre-marital intercourse/sexual liberation, unwed motherhood, cheating/unfaithfulness, separation, and easy divorces.

Additionally, there are many reasons why godly men and women interpret the same biblical text differently. One reason is that ‘Protestants’ have no one to speak ex cathedra; each person is free to interpret the Bible for themselves. Secondly, we all tend to bring our own set of assumption to Bible interpreting and no two of us have the same set of assumptions. This obviously leads to many different conclusions about the meaning of a text.  This problematic area is further hampered by theological training, positions, and biases. These reasons account for why some people of equal scholarship differ on the same biblical text.

The phrase made in “the image of God” is important to the basic understanding of marriage.  Marriage is God’s idea and it did not come into being through evolutionary processes, nor is it a mere social invention.  It’s a part of God’s design and this is reflected in the phrase, made in “the image of God.”  This ‘image’ is not physical, but spiritual and indicative of the personhood of God. God is relational and Trinitarian (Gen. 1:26, 27), therefore this ‘image’ points to the fact that we are created for relationships.  Note the following comments by Walvoord,

Human life was created in (lit., “as,” meaning “in essence as”) the image of God (v. 27). This image was imparted only to humans (2:7). “Image” (ṣelem) is used figuratively here, for God does not have a human form. Being in God’s image means that humans share, though imperfectly and finitely, in God’s nature, that is, in His communicable attributes (life, personality, truth, wisdom, love, holiness, justice), and so have the capacity for spiritual fellowship with Him.

God’s purpose in creating human life in His image was functional: man is to rule or have dominion (1:26, 28). God’s dominion was presented by a “representative.”—Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary

Furthermore, there are several noteworthy implications for the roles of men and women contained in the phrase “help meet for him.”  The first is the stated fact that it is not good for man to be alone (Gen. 2:18) and after God created Eve and brought her to Adam, God viewed this as very good (Gen. 1:31).  The implication is that man is a social creature designed so by God.  Considering this the term “help meet” means a helper “fit” or “suitable” or even “face to face” to him.  Some define it as ‘corresponding to’ the man. Thus, Eve’s role surpasses merely a helpmate, but a companion who would fulfill the social needs of Adam.  Walvoord affords this same concept and relates it to the preclusion of male leadership when he said,

God decided to make a helper suitable (lit., “a helper corresponding to him,” or “a corresponding helper”) for the man (v.18). “Helper” is not a demeaning term; it is often used in Scripture to describe God Almighty (e.g., Pss. 33:20; 70:5; 115:9, …). The description of her as “corresponding to him” means basically that what was said about him in Genesis 2:7 was also true of her. They both had the same nature. But what man lacked (his aloneness was not good) she supplied, and what she lacked he supplied. The culmination was one flesh (v. 24)—the complete unity of man and woman in marriage. Since Adam and Eve were a spiritual unity, living in integrity without sin, there was no need for instruction here on headship. Paul later discussed that in relationship to the order of Creation (1 Cor. 11:3; 1 Tim. 2:13).—Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary

The natural desire for human companionship and communication is most perfectly satisfied in the marriage union.  In fact, the social nature of man cries out for interaction with fellow human beings and is necessary for healthy development of personality. 

The fall of man changed family relationships because sin was now in the world and this required leadership and submission to that leadership.  God invested the man with leadership responsibilities and required his wife and children to follow him. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and judgment was pronounced that changed the relationship of husband and wife.  The curse placed on Eve was threefold: she was to experience pain in childbirth, her desire would be toward her husband, and he was to rule over her (Gen. 3:16).  Therefore, because of sin the original relationship between husband and wife had been distorted.  God moved Eve from a side-by-side and face to face arrangement to a subordinate position. Adam received a sentence under the curse involving pain and difficulty in his labors of the land (Gen. 3:17-19). The world was now different because of the fall and human relationships had to be rearranged to address this change.

My favorite Old Testament love story is that of Boaz and Ruth in the book of Ruth.  The evidence of God’s providential activity and care throughout the book and the theme of redemption are probably the primary reasons I prefer this story over some of the others. The story is not romantic from our Western perspective, but it is a strong testimony to God faithfulness to redeem and give the best to those who wait on Him and submit to His plans.

There are several verses in the Song of Solomon supporting the thesis that it is a collection of lyrics illustrating the passion of married love.  Note the word “spouse” in the following two verses:

"Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards." (Song of Solomon 4:8)

"I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved." (Song of Solomon 5:1)

Clearly employing the word ‘spouse’ placed these scenes and lyrics within the biblical context of marriage.

Several reasons could be sited as to why the Lord Jesus remained unmarried.  Christ lived in celibacy as a part of His personal self-denial.  If He had taken a wife, he could remain sinless (Heb. 13:4), but I believe He wanted to give Himself entirely to the Father’s will in His earthly ministry (Matt. 19:12).  This would be best served without a wife and family.  It would have been very difficult to abandon His family while suffering at Calvary and then ascending back to Heaven.  Even with His earthly ministry and the pace He maintain, would have been impossible while attempting to care for the needs of His family.

Remaining single enabled the Lord Jesus to choose a life of poverty and identify with the plight of the lowly and impoverished of Israel.  It facilitated His ministry to the poor (Heb. 2:17-18).  Further elaboration on the fitness of single life to ministry dedication is covered in 1Corinthians 7:32-35, and Walvoord who commented on these verses said,

The single state has potentially fewer encumbrances and distractions than the married state, so it more easily facilitates a spirit of undivided devotion to the Lord. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned His followers against letting concern for the material aspects of this life distract them from devotion to God (Matt. 6:25-34). The poor widow (Mark 12:44) gave all her material sustenance to God as an act of singular devotion. A married man or woman with a needful concern for the well-being of his family would have been less likely to do that. The situation illustrates Paul’s point that the single life with its greater simplicity in obligations allows a potentially greater commitment of time, resources, and self to the Lord than would be possible for a married person dutifully carrying out the marital and familial obligations attached to that state. –Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary

There are several ways in which the love between husband and wife corresponds to the love of Christ for His bride, the church.  Consider the listing that follows:

1)    Since Christ loves the church, He affords it His excellent leadership.  A loving husband will show love by leading his wife after Christ godly model (Eph. 5:23, 24).

2)   Since Christ loves the church, He gave Himself sacrificially for its welfare.  A loving husband will likewise give himself in sacrificial service for his wife’s spiritual welfare and physical protection (Eph. 5:23, 25).

3)   Since Christ loves the church, He seeks and provides for her purity and cleansing (Eph. 5:26, 27).  A loving husband will also pursue the spiritual edification of his wife with his example and Bible instruction. 

4)   Since Christ love for the church is evidence by His care for it as His spiritual body, a husband should care for His wife and provide for her needs (Eph. 5:28-30).

5)   As Christ initiated and sustains a lasting relationship with His bride, the church, husbands must follow the instructions of Gen. 1:24, leave, cleave, one flesh, to maintain the marriage longevity (Eph. 5:31).

There is a relationship between biblical principles and the success of a Christian marriage.  Though our culture may reject and discredit the Bible basis for marriage and the principles the Scriptures afford for the welfare of the Christian home, they are never-the-less relevant and promising.  When two Christian young people implement these principles in everyday life, their marriage will prove a blessing to them and glorifying to God.  When God’s Word is diligently applied to life, it produces satisfaction and fulfillment in relationships the humanistic philosophy of the world cannot assail. 

 

The Clarity of Truth

The Clarity of Truth

John 8:32; 14:6; 17:17; 2 Cor. 5:7; Hebrews 11:1

Theme: Authentic facts point to God’s truth; we must live by God’s truth and not mere facts…by faith and not by sight.

Relevance:

God delivers us from spiritual confusion when we believe Him instead of our circumstances. Facts are subject to misleading manipulation leading to greater sin, darkness, and bondage, but embracing God’s truth is freeing, liberating, clarifying, and life transforming!  

Lesson:

Again...Truth Must Override Facts as a Standard!

John 8:32, And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

God’s spiritual truth (His word and promises) supersedes temporary earthly facts (physical or biological realities or human observations). 

There are Plenty Examples of Truth Overriding Facts:

In Bible history, divine truth frequently superseded noticeable facts, whether temporary physical circumstances, biological limits, or antagonistic settings. When natural facts say one thing, God’s higher truth overrode them, demanding faith over mere human sight.

• Abraham and Sarah’s Aged Bodies (Romans 4:18–21; Genesis 17:15-17)
• The Bare Obvious Facts: Physically, Sarah’s womb and Abraham’s body were dead (as good as dead, being about 100 years old). Physically, their bodies were past the age of bearing children.
• The Greater Truth: God promised Abraham he would be the father of many nations. Abraham “against hope believed in hope,” considering not his own body now very old, but “staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief.” Abraham trusted God’s promise to make him the father of many nations, even when human prospects seemed entirely hopeless. God’s truth or promise they would have a son, a coming heir, superseded the biological fact of their infertility. He remained fully convinced that God had the power to fulfill what He promised.
• Peter Walking on the Water (Matthew 14:28–29)
• The Bare Obvious Facts: The physical law of gravity and the force of wind and waves mean a human body sinks in the Sea of Galilee. The physical facts were gravity and sinking waves!
• The Greater Truth: At Jesus’ invitational command (“Come”), Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on the stormy sea. The physical fact of the storm only overwhelmed him when he looked away from Christ’s word, proving that divine command momentarily superseded natural physical laws. The truth and real power rested in Jesus’ command to come.
• Stepping Out in Faith but Only with Christ’s Directions. Peter asks Jesus to call him out onto the dangerous, stormy sea. By saying “Come,” Jesus gives Peter the authority and power to do the impossible.
• Leaving the Comfort Zone as an Expression of Trust. This passage represents taking a risk to be closer to Christ. The boat symbolizes safety and familiarity; walking on water symbolizes radical trust in Jesus’ command.
• The Power of Focusing on Christ is Paramount to Triumph! Peter can walk on water only as long as he keeps his eyes fixed entirely on Jesus. (While the verses immediately following show Peter looking at the wind, becoming afraid, and beginning to sink, verses 28–29 highlight the initial triumph of active, obedient faith). We dare not overlook this reality!
• The Three Hebrew Boys in the Fiery Furnace (Daniel 3:24–27)
• The Bare Obvious Facts: Fire burns human flesh, and Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace was heated seven times hotter than usual so that it killed the executioners.
• The Greater Truth: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted God’s preservation. The physical fact of the fire remained, but the higher spiritual truth of God’s presence meant “upon their bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed.”
• Earlier in the chapter, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow to King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue, stating that their God was able to save them, but even if He didn’t, they still wouldn’t worship the idol. Daniel 3:27 proves that God did deliver them utterly and completely, leaving pagan witnesses astonished and forcing the pagan king to praise the God of Israel. It highlights that when God saves or brings someone through a trial, He can do so so thoroughly that not even the “smell” or scars of the ordeal remain.—Bible Gateway
• The Shunammite Woman’s Dead Son (2 Kings 4:32–37)
• The Bare Obvious Facts: While working with his father in the fields, the boy complained of a severe head pain and died in his mother’s arms. The child was clinically dead, laid cold upon Elisha’s bed.
• The Greater Truth: The physical fact of death was reversed by the prophet’s actions and God’s power! Elisha arrived, prayed to God, and stretched himself out over the boy’s body twice until the child’s flesh grew warm. Operating on the spiritual reality that God is the author of life, Elisha caused the boy to sneeze and open his eyes then restored him alive again to his mother. Yes, beloved this resurrection is just one token of what the Creator can do through exploits of faith!
• The Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37:3–5)
• The Bare Obvious Facts: The bones scattered across the valley were “very dry”—a final, irreversible physical state from a human perspective.
• The Greater Truth: When God asked Ezekiel, “Can these bones live?”, the prophet deferred to God’s omniscience (“O Lord God, thou knowest”). God then commanded Ezekiel to prophesy, saying, “O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord,” and life entered them, and “they stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army.” The truth of God’s powerful creative word superseded the dead, bleached fact of the bones.

·        Christ’s Raising Lazarus to Life (John 11)

Jesus Christ’s resurrection of Lazarus demonstrates His authority over life and death renders physical death a temporary boundary rather than a permanent reality. Yes, accordingly Lazarus was brought back to physical life by Jesus four days after he died and was placed in a tomb. 

·        The Death of Lazarus of Bethany, brother to Mary and Martha and a friend of Jesus, fell sick and died while Jesus was away. 

·        The Miracle unfolded when Jesus arrived four days after the burial, he went to the cave tomb, had the stone rolled away, and called out, “Lazarus, come forth.”

·        The Result literally entailed Lazarus coming out of the tomb still wrapped in his burial cloths, astonishing the crowd and leading many to believe in the Lord Jesus. Beloved, these are the observable bare face facts!

Carefully, note the significance of Lazarus being dead four days in the tomb. You see Lazarus was dead for four days, past the Jewish belief that the soul lingered for three days, making his death an undeniable physical fact.

Then specifically pay attention to the awesome power of our Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus called, “Lazarus, come forth,” the physical reality of decay and death yielded to divine command instantly.

Recall how Jesus described Himself earlier as “The Resurrection and the Life”! Jesus specified that anyone who believes in Him will live even if they die physically, shifting the focus from death as an absolute end to life in Christ (Jn. 11:23-27). Beloved, this is the "TRUTH" that frees you and me for the sins of doubt, skepticism, questions, worry, frustrations, and unbelief! 

Many More Passages Elevate God’s Words Over Obvious Facts that are Rooted in Mere Human Understanding!

Living by faith is trusting God, believing Him regardless of other otherwise reasonable inputs from even accomplished people. Humility is necessary for us all before a Mighty God and Creator! A humble posture is our rightful place and not the arrogance of dreaming up some new theory in a quest to be published! Trusting God’s promises and character instead of relying only on temporary, physical circumstances or human logic is needed by us all. God calls us to a life of faith and moves us past the mere limitations of physical sight.

• Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith provides a real foundation and proof for spiritual realities that physical eyes cannot detect.
• 2 Corinthians 4:18: “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
• Romans 1:17: “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Faith is not a one-time event, but the core posture of daily survival and spiritual life.
• Hebrews 11:6: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Several Essential Matters are Involved with Living by Faith!

• Looking Beyond Circumstances to the Reality of God! Refusing to let present hardships, fear, or worldly facts dictate your peace or obedience.
• Trusting the Word of God as a Standard! Relying on what God has declared as more certain than what physical evidence shows.
• Actively Resolving to Proceed! Moving forward through unclear paths with confidence in God’s hidden work and ultimate faithfulness.

Conclusion:

Jesus says, “the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Spiritual truth and alignment with God sovereign will free us from the bondage, captivity, confinement, and lifestyles of sinful enslavement. Beloved, our Lord promises spiritual liberation through faith.

Child of God, this notion is critical to our spiritual experience:

• Freedom from Sin: people who live in sin are slaves to it. Knowing and accepting the truth breaks that control.
• The Person of Jesus: Jesus defines himself as the “TRUTH”. Knowing the truth means having a ‘living faith’ in him.

Having a living faith in Jesus Christ provides inner peace, deeper personal purpose, and a supportive connection to God that helps overcome daily hardships.

Think Deeply About the Advantages of a ‘Living Faith’:

·        Rich Inner Peace is Realized. Trusting in Christ offers a stabilizing inner calm that helps reduce worry about the future.

·        Hope during Hard Times is a Present Truth to Embrace. A living trust provides the resilience needed to persevere through suffering, sickness, and difficult life circumstances.

·        Clear Life Purpose and Confidence for the Future. Walking closely with Jesus aligns our daily actions with meaningful values, helping us love and serve others more effectively.

·        Direct Access to God Deepening that vital Connection. Faith opens an ongoing relationship through prayer and spiritual guidance, offering constant support and a lifted burden of guilt or shame.

 

Yes, authentic facts should invariably point to God’s eternal truth; as the people of God, we must live by God’s truth and not merely the facts…by faith and not by sight.