21 Days of Prayer Day 5 , January 13, 2022 Faith That Believes and Does

Day 5  January 13, 2022

Today’s Focus: Faith that Believes and Does.

Action has to be part of our faith. They work together. Faith in motion.

We were not created to sit idle. We were created to do good work.

Ephesian 2:8-10   8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Good works follow faith. They are a result of our faith. Good works are evidence of our faith.

Once I truly grasp all that Jesus has done for me and does for me, there is no other response other than “here I am, send me.”

Great faith is not found in the stands. The fruit is at the end of the branch.

May we have a perfect balance (internal faith balanced

CS Lewis Regarding the debate about faith and works: It's like asking which blade in a pair of scissors is most important.

James 2:21-22 (NIV) 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

We are all on a journey. It’s not one and done. It’s a process all for the glory of God and to encourage one another.

How do we have a year of great faith?

Embrace that Great faith is active.

No matter what happens, every day and every moment I’m going to live a life of active faith. 

James 1:22 (NIV) 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Matthew 7:24 (NIV)  24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Phil. 4:13 (NIV) 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

DL Moody “Every Bible should be bound in shoe leather.”  We have the shoes fit with readiness.

One prayer we need to pray every day, “Lord, what is my assignment?”

Praying with your spouse.  Blessing those who may hurt  you.  Sharing your faith with others.

When we serve (like on the Dream Team) it opens avenues for living out our faith.

Great Faith is Obedient:

Obedience needs to be our middle name.

Abraham was obedient but he had plenty of fear and failure. Yet he is a “hero” of faith in Hebrews 11.

Peter had some failures in his life. Yet God still used him greatly.

Obedience is doing what God has called me to do in this moment leaving the results with God.

Some assignments will not make any sense. It’s about pursuit not perfection.

Our faith journey is all of these assignments of our partnership with God. Our level of faith is commensurate with our obedience.

This could be the best year of your life if we are obedient and growing in our faith.

John 13:17 (NIV) 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Blessings follow obedience.  If you step out in great faith, blessings will follow.

21 Days of Prayer - Day #4, January 12, 2022 "Faith That Is Sound In The Word"

Day 4  January 12, 2022

Today’s topic: Faith that is sound in the Word.

2 Timothy 1:13 (NIV)  

13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.

Titus 2:1 (NIV) You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.

Doctrine is our set of beliefs. But we need “sound”. They are free from any mixture of errors. 

Paul knew that new Christians need to be careful that they do not have the clutter of the world.

Some people have clean, spotless, immaculate clean cars.

Some people have dirty cars. They just accumulate things that have the dirt of the environment.

Some people intend to have clean cars, however over time, the cars get dirty.

This is true of people and our teaching. Our doctrine gets cluttered. 

If we are going to have a year of great faith, we need to get the clutter out.

Let’s come back to the simplicity of God’s word. 

Ephesians 4:14 (ESV) so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

A better way is the anchor in the soundness of the Word of God.

Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV) 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.

Make sure the clutter is gone.

For this new year of 2022, these 3 declarations:

I believe the Word of God.

I Choose the Word of God.

I live the Word of God.

21 Days Of Prayer - Day 3, January 11, 2022 - Faith That is Grounded

Day 3  January 11, 2022

Grounded Faith is faith that is built on something solid and strong that gives you confidence.

Our faith Built on Jesus. Here are some passages that show what a firm foundation Jesus is for our faith.

Colossians 1:3-4 (NIV)

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—

Colo 1:21-23 (NIV) 21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of[a] your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Col. 2:6-7 (NIV) 6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

1 Cor. 3:11 (NIV) 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ

Heb. 12:2 (NIV) 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God

Our faith is built on the foundation of Jesus.

Think about that role Jesus has as our foundation.

Three things that Jesus is for us in faith. 3 Things I want you to believe about Jesus. This puts everything in your life on solid ground.

I believe He understands.

Jesus came to not only die, He came to live His life to identify with us. It took Him 33 years to experience everything. He understands.   

Hebrews 4:15-16 (NIV) 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Whatever you are going through, He has felt it and understands.

I believe He is interceding on my behalf.

He’s active. He’s seated at the right hand of God as an intercessor. 

He takes your prayer and presents it to the Father.

John 14:6 (NIV) 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—

We can’t get to the Father without Jesus for salvation and prayer

Romans  8:34 (NIV) 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us

That establishes my faith and prayer life when I know Jesus understands and delivers to the Father.

I believe He is holding it all together.

Jesus knows exactly what to do with our prayers.

Colossians 1:15-17 (MSG) 15-18 We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.

If I believe this, it is solid ground for my prayer life and my faith.